Should've Never
by Mahone-chic-89
Summary: DEADLIEST CATCH: The Northwestern hires a new deckhand but who they hire will end up causing more trouble than the boat has ever experienced before. An incredibly complicated love triangle ensues and threatens to destroy the boat. See full summary inside!
1. Summary and Intro

Should've Never

I am currently finishing up writing my latest NHL fanfic but as soon as it is over I will be working on this one. I just wanted to write out a good summary, formulate a plot and generate some interest while I finish up the other story. Most likely I will start writing this story next week. Let me know what you think!

Full Summary:

Crystal Zaleski is a twenty-two year old Norwegian-American who comes from a long line of fishermen. She lived on the Grand Banks her whole life and decided that the time had come to move on to bigger and better things. When she hears that the Northwestern is looking for a new deckhand after Nick Mavar retires she jumps at the opportunity. At first, Sig and his brothers are skeptical of hiring a female for their boat but after reviewing her resume and seeing her fishing experience on the Grand Banks they decide to give her a try. Little do they know exactly how much trouble they're all getting themselves into. Although Crystal is a wonderful fisherman and has no trouble transitioning to the Bering Sea, issues arise when Captain Sig takes an almost obsessive interest in the young woman. Although Crystal knows he's married she finds herself falling for the older captain and soon finds herself in way over her head. Things get worse when another man begins falling for Crystal and soon she finds herself in the most complicated love triangle imaginable. Will she be able to choose between the two distinguished fishermen or will the love triangle tear the boat apart?

Rating: This will be rated M for mature, adult situations and strong language. It's gonna be a bit more risqué than my other stories so you've been fore-warned! If you don't like it don't read it!

The story title came from a song called Should've Never by Jennifer Lopez. Here are the lyrics to give you more of an idea as to how the plot will go:

"Should've Never"

I've been so

Caught up in the thought of me and you

Even though I love

Someone else I know my heart belongs to you

Tell me how did we

Ever let the situation get this far

Maybe we should just

Try to hide the things we feel inside

Things I know we can't deny

[CHORUS:]

Should've never told you

That I cared about you

Didn't think that it would be, so bad

Should've never kissed you

Should've never held your hand

Got to find a way to let these feelings go

What did I

Do the day I let you slip into my soul

It was then, when I

Realized that I would always want you in my life

No one else can know

Of the things that we've been saying on the telephone

It would be so bad

If they ever knew that me and you

Were secretly into each other

[CHORUS]

[BRIDGE:]

I'm so scared, trembling inside

'Cause I'm feeling like somebody else already knows

Oh my God, I love you both so much

And to have to choose between the two

Is hurting me so deep inside

[CHORUS:]

Should've never told you That I cared about you

Never thought that it would be, so bad, hum

Should've never kissed you

Should've never held your hand

I don't ever want to feel this way again


	2. Dangerously Beautiful

**Okay so I went on a writing spree and finished my NHL story so I decided to write a chapter for this new one : ) I'll keep updating this one till Thursday when I go out of town for a few days then I'll pick it back up when I get back next Monday. Enjoy! Let me know what you think!**

**Author's Note: For the sake of this story we'll pretend that Edgar is NOT married. But again that's just for the sake of this story : ) Enjoy!**

Crystal Zaleski took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her breath came out in a cloud in front of her face, further evidence to the bitter cold that now surrounded her. She was used to the cold weather. Growing up in the Grand Banks and sword fishing with her family her whole life had hardened her to the more brutal forms of nature, but she had never felt a cold quite as biting or harsh as this. This cold cut you right to the bone and sapped your energy and strength. It froze your lungs instantly and made you feel weak and inferior. But Crystal had been raised to be tough. She had been taught from day one to never give in even when things seemed hard or even impossible. She was Norwegian through and through.

Crystal brushed her white-blonde hair out of her clear, ice-blue eyes and began to make her way down the dock. She slung her green duffel bag slung over one shoulder and trudged slowly through the ice-encrusted dock toward a large, white and blue boat at the far end of the docks. Her heart hammered anxiously in her chest as she approached the ominous looking vessel. She could see several people racing around on the boat deck, working feverishly to load pots and tie them down for the upcoming trip. She frowned a little at the sight. She had a lot of work cut out for her. Nick Mavar, one of the oldest guys on the Northwester, had recently retired due to some lingering injuries and personal family issues. The news had come rather unexpectedly and Crystal had been called up on short notice. She had sent in her resume to several crab boats over a year ago, just hoping that one would pick her up. She'd heard a lot about crab fishing and the dangers of the industry but what drew her in was the adventure. The very thought of having the world's most dangerous job thrilled her. The money didn't hurt either.

"The female's here!" announced a gruff, scruffy looking man as he glanced briefly down at her.

Crystal caught the flash of annoyance in his eyes and realized that he must be Edgar Hansen, Sig Hansen's little brother and deckboss of the Northwestern. She could already tell that he would be a hard one to warm up to. He clearly didn't seem pleased to see her there.

"Welcome aboard!" shouted a younger-looking man with brilliant blue eyes as he reached down to take her bag, "I'll take that for you. Come on up! There's plenty of work to do, trust me. Edgar's a goddamned slave driver."

Edgar tossed a stray piece of rope at the young man who dodged it, laughing good-naturedly, "Shut up, Jake," grumbled Edgar as he moved to tie down another pot.

"And he's a bit grumpy too," murmured Jake Anderson into Crystal's ear, "So just keep your distance till he cools off. That one over there with the darker beard is Matt Bradley…he's got a bit of a temper too. Over there is Norman, he's the most laid back and chill one on the boat. And of course Sig's up in the wheelhouse plotting our first string of the season. You might wanna go up there and check in with him before Edgar puts you to work."

Crystal nodded and gave Jake a kind smile, "Thanks…I appreciate the help."

"No problem," said Jake with a shrug, "Figured you wouldn't get it from the rest of the crew…they're all a little rougher around the edges."

"Jake, stop yakking and get the hell over here," grumbled Edgar as he tossed the youngster an annoyed glare.

"See what I mean?" asked Jake as he rolled his eyes and went over to see what Edgar needed.

Edgar cast another glance in Crystal's direction. She glanced away, not wanting to further upset the deckboss, and made her way toward the wheelhouse. Edgar couldn't help but notice that the girl really was gorgeous. Her long, white-blond hair went down to her lower back and her eyes were heart-stoppingly blue. But she was still a girl…and therefore she didn't belong on this boat. That was a huge no-no in the fishing world. It was taboo to put a girl on a crab fishing boat and Edgar was none-too-pleased with his older brother's decision to hire her. Oh well…at least she made for some good eye-candy…

…

Sig glanced up when he heard someone climbing up the stairs that led to his wheelhouse. He did a double take when he saw a devastatingly beautiful blonde girl walk in. He took off his glasses and checked her out as she walked over toward him.

"Hi," she said in a sweet voice with a slight Norwegian accent, "I'm Crystal Zaleski. I just got in. Jake suggested that I come up and check in with you before I start working on deck?"

"Um, yeah, yeah," stammered Sig, still awe-struck by Crystal's beauty. He was having a hard time reminding himself that he was married and had kids, "Welcome aboard," he said as he extended his hand.

Crystal shook his hand, somewhat amused by his stammering and nervous reaction as he tried desperately to not stare in places that he shouldn't. In a way Crystal thought it was kind of cute. He was rather attractive for an older man. Granted he was old enough to be her father, but damn…he was hot. And his voice…she mentally forced herself to snap out of it. Sig Hansen was a married man and now he was her boss. She told herself to get a grip and forced herself to pay attention to what he was saying.

"Go ahead and make yourself at home. You'll be sharing a stateroom with Edgar for now, but if that becomes an issue for whatever reason we can make other arrangements."

Crystal had to bite her tongue to keep from grimacing at that. Share a stateroom with the deckboss? The same man who had glared at her with loathing just a moment ago? Great.

"After you're settled in go ahead and hit the deck. I'm sure Edgar has plenty for you to do out there. We head out tomorrow morning so we need all the pots on the deck and tied down as soon as humanly possible, maybe even sooner than that."

Crystal nodded, "Yes sir, I'll be out there in less than two minutes," she replied as she turned to leave.

Sig moaned quietly as she checked out her butt as she left. God, he had to get a handle on this before he went out to sea with this girl for the next several weeks. But…damn…she was just so unbelievably hot…

…

Crystal threw her gear down on the empty bottom bunk in the stateroom she would be sharing with Edgar Hansen. She sighed as she contemplated whether or not this really was such a great idea. Maybe she would have been better off just taking over her dad's boat in the Grand Banks. She shook her head, angry at herself for even thinking such a thing. One of her brothers could take over her dad's boat. She was meant for something more than Grand Banks fishing. She'd been there, done that and was ready for the next big thing and this was it. All she had to do was survive Edgar Hansen and she'd be fine…and avoid inappropriate thoughts about her married boss. That could get dangerous fast if she wasn't careful.

"Female!"

Edgar's agitated voice jolted Crystal from her thoughts. She rolled her eyes, already annoyed with her deckboss, as she turned around and headed back out onto the deck. Edgar glanced over at her, his face a mask of annoyance and agitation.

"You gonna join the crew or chit chat with my brother all day?" he asked, shooting her an accusing glare.

Crystal blinked in surprise. What the hell was that supposed to mean? But she bit her tongue, knowing it would be a horrible life choice to fight with her deckboss on day one, especially since they would be living together for the next several weeks.

"Sorry," she said holding her head a little higher in silent defiance of Edgar's attitude and tone towards her, "I was putting my gear away."

"Did I ask for excuses?" retorted Edgar as he narrowed his eyes at her, "Get over here and get your manicured hands dirty."

Crystal gritted her teeth at the sexist comment and obeyed his order. She had a feeling she'd be doing a lot of that over the next several weeks…

…

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	3. Giving In

"Do you cook?"

Crystal felt her teeth grind against each other in annoyance at the question. They had only just pulled away from shore and already her nerves were reaching breaking point. Last night had been bad enough. Edgar had yelled at her and ordered her around like she was a child for several hours until all the pots had been loaded on the boat and tied down. Then he glowered at her while she got ready for bed and woke her up at an ungodly hour to help clean up the galley before they were underway. Now one of the other crew members was asking her, the only female on the boat, if she could cook.

Matt Bradley seemed to notice Crystal's tense reaction to his question. He stumbled over himself as he tried to clarify what he meant.

"Oh, I mean…I didn't mean that because you're a girl you should be cook or anything. I just…I was wondering cause you know, sometimes we like to have a good meal now and again, but since we all kinda suck at cooking, I was kinda hoping…"

"It's fine," said Crystal shortly, "And yeah I cook."

"Oh…okay," said Matt, looking around sheepishly as he filled his mug up with more coffee, "Sorry…I was just curious."

Jake Anderson rolled his eyes at Matt, "You're an idiot."

"Shut the fuck up Anderson!" snapped Matt.

"Oh great," muttered Norman as he strode into the galley, "They're at it already. It's gonna be another looong season."

Crystal couldn't help but smirk at Norman Hansen's comment. He was usually the quieter of the three Hansen brothers and tended to stay out of the drama that happened so frequently on this boat.

"How was your first night?" he asked Crystal as she finished cleaning the dishes from breakfast.

Crystal hesitated before she replied, "Umm…short? But it was okay. Thanks for asking."

Norman raised an eyebrow at that, "Short? How so?"

"Well…your little brother is kind of a slave driver," said Crystal, forcing a good-natured smile. As much as she would love to sit down and vent to someone about the Nazi deckboss she knew that Edgar was Norman's brother and it would probably be detrimental to her job to do so. Instead she bit back what she really wanted to say and put on a happy face for the rest of the crew.

Norman grunted at that, "Yeah…he can be an ass sometimes."

Crystal smirked at that and nodded in agreement.

"Hey don't take it personally;" piped up Jake as he walked over to rinse out his mug, "He only picks on the ones he likes a lot. He picked on me to no end when I first started working here. Hell he still does! And he's my best friend! So if anything take it as a compliment. He must like you."

Crystal frowned a little at that. The mental image she had of Edgar's hard, unforgiving glare and merciless task-driving from last night seemed to suggest otherwise. As far as she could tell the deckboss hated her guts. But then again this was only day one. They had plenty of more time to get to know one another. Maybe in a few days into the fishing trip he'd ease up a bit once he realized she was a hard worker. She'd prove herself to him one way or another…

…

Sig was sipping on his coffee a few hours later as he glanced down at a map he had spread out before him. They had been steaming along for quite some time now and were drawing closer to the crab grounds. He wanted to be sure he was setting the pots in the right place. He had a spot picked out but he wanted to double check the records his father had left behind years ago. His dad had been a master fisherman and had dutifully recorded all his past seasons on maps and legers that Sig relied on heavily each and every season. As he was studying the material, the sound of someone climbing up into the wheelhouse startled him. He glanced over and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was Crystal.

"Hey," he said as she climbed up and made her way over to the co-captain's chair on the other side of the wheelhouse, "You alright?"

Crystal nodded and forced a smile, "Yeah…just wanted to get out of there for a while."

"The galley?" asked Sig as he took of his glasses and sat them next to his coffee mug.

"Yeah…things are a little tense between Jake and Matt," she said quietly, glancing away.

"And I'm assuming Edgar's riding your ass?"

Crystal jumped a little in surprise. How did Sig know what was going on?

"Um, yeah but I can handle it," she said quickly, "It's to be expected…since I'm the greenhorn and all."

Sig chuckled, "You don't have to act like it doesn't get to you. Its fine…that's how Edgar is. He lives for getting under people's skin. Trust me…try growing up with him as a kid brother. He's such an ass sometimes."

Crystal laughed, "That's what Norman said."

Sig laughed at that, "Yeah Edgar's a tough one to warm up to. Give it time though. Things will work out."

Crystal nodded, "Yeah…thanks, Sig."

"No problem," said Sig as he put his glasses back on and returned to his map.

"What are you doing?" asked Crystal hesitantly after a moment.

"Oh, I'm just looking over my dad's records from the times he used to fish these grounds," said Sig as he glanced up at her, "He wrote everything down over the years. Sometimes there were patterns he established and I like to follow those patterns. Never steered me wrong yet."

Crystal climbed out of her seat and walked over to see. She glanced over Sig's shoulder and studied the map he was currently looking at. Sig felt his heart skip a beat at her closeness. He could smell her perfume and feel her breath on his neck as she looked at the map. He trembled slightly. What the hell was wrong with him? A married man losing it over a twenty-two year old girl. God, he needed to control himself.

Crystal felt her own heart skip a beat as she hovered over Sig Hansen. She mentally kicked herself. The man was old enough to be her father…but he was devastatingly handsome. So much kinder and more gentle than his little brother too. Of course she had heard the stories about the ruthlessness of Sig and how he ran a tight ship, but so far he had been patient and gentle with her. Something about the way he seriously studied and ran his hands over the aging map made her shiver. What the hell was wrong with her?

"Wanna run her?" asked Sig suddenly as he glanced up at Crystal.

Crystal jumped, startled, "Um…run her?"

"The boat…wanna drive her for a while?" he asked as he moved out of his seat.

Crystal's blue eyes grew round with amazement. Sig Hansen never let _anyone_ drive his boat. He didn't even like it when Edgar was at the helm half the time. Crystal was in shock as she slid into the captain's chair, still warm from where Sig had been sitting for several hours. She shivered slightly at the thought as she reached for the controls. They weren't all that different from the boats she ran back on the Grand Banks, but this boat was twice as big and twice as powerful as those boats too.

"Like this?" she asked as she throttled forward.

"Exactly," said Sig as he leaned over her, putting one arm on either side of her and covering her hands with his as he guided her hands over the controls.

Crystal was sure she was going to lose it. His hands were rough and weathered from many seasons on the Bering Sea. They felt wonderful on her hands as he taught her how to drive the Northwestern. She bit her lower lip, trying to control her emotions, and hormones, as he helped her.

Sig was struggling to control himself as well. He was mentally cursing himself for what he was doing, because he knew damn well what he was getting at. He was slowly getting closer to Crystal and she was letting him do it. It was too easy…god it was just too easy. It made him lose control just for a moment, but that moment was all it took.

Crystal glanced up at Sig when his hands stopped moving over hers. When she looked up at him their lips were a mere two inches apart. Her eyes moved down toward his lips and back up to his eyes, questioning him. Sig let out a ragged breath as he leaned in. The second their lips connected, Crystal felt like she was on fire. The kiss grew more and more passionate as Sig reached behind her, cupping the back of her head and pulling her into him. His hands began to explore her body just as the sounds of someone climbing the wheelhouse stairs brought him back to reality.

Sig pulled away quickly just as Edgar walked into the galley. Edgar glanced over at Crystal and gave her a surprised, unpleasant glare.

"What the hell is the greenhorn doing in the captain's chair?" asked Edgar harshly as he glared accusingly at his older brother.

"I'm showing her how to run the boat," snapped Sig, "Mind your own damn business, Edgar."

Edgar shook his head in bewilderment, "Yeah well I have some _greenhorn_ duties that need to be taken care of and seeing as how she's the _greenhorn_ on this boat I need her down here."

Sig looked like he was about to protest, but Crystal stood up and interrupted him.

"Um, no it's fine. I'll be down in a minute," she said as she glanced between the two brothers.

Edgar glared at her before he turned and stormed out of the wheelhouse.

"Pleasant man isn't he?" asked Crystal with a slight smirk as she glanced over at Sig.

Sig rolled his eyes as he walked over to her, "Try growing up with him," he said quietly as he leaned down and gave her a slight kiss on the lips, "Come back up whenever you're free," he breathed in her ear, making her shiver.

Crystal nodded as she turned to leave the wheelhouse. Sig collapsed in his chair and ran a hand through his now messy blonde hair. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Holy shit…what the hell am I doing?"

…

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	4. Losing Control

**Author's Note: Things get a little "heated" in this chapter just a forewarning! Nothing too graphic but if you don't like that sort of thing, well…you've been warned! **

It had been almost two days since Crystal went up to the wheelhouse and ended up making out with her captain…her older, _married_ captain. She shook her head in frustration. She hadn't been able to get him or that moment out of her mind. It was driving her insane. Part of her felt extremely guilty for her actions but the other part of her, the part that was winning out, desperately wanted to find an excuse to go up there again and finish what they had started. She knew that the next time they got together things were going to end up going further than just an innocent make-out session. The fire she felt when he touched her and that longing desire in his eyes…it was electric. It was unavoidable.

"Female!" snarled Edgar as he glared at Crystal over his shoulder, "You wanna toss those bags or do you want to get dragged out into the ocean with the pot?"

Crystal jolted out of her reverie and quickly threw the bags over the rail at the last second. She mentally cursed herself for being so careless. She knew better than this…her father had trained her better. She had to stop thinking about Sig, at least for now, so she could finish setting this string with her crew…otherwise she feared Edgar would throw her over himself. He looked exceptionally annoyed with her today and sneered openly as he mocked her.

"Female's got her head in the clouds," he said loudly enough for the rest of the crew to hear, "But what else did Sig expect? I told him not to hire a female and he did so he's getting what he's paying for!"

"Edgar!" snapped Jake, giving his best friend and mentor a harsh look, "Dude, what the hell?"

"Do your job, Jake and mind your own business," said Edgar curtly as he went to maneuver the crane to pick up the next pot and drag it over to the rail.

Crystal growled low in her throat. Her patience was beginning to wear thin with Edgar's constant sexist comments and jokes. She expected to get harassed by him and some of the other deckhands but this was getting to be a little much. She gritted her teeth in frustration, swallowing back her anger as she went back to the bait station to prepare the next bait set-up. She would hold back her anger as long as she could. She couldn't risk losing her job by snapping so easily.

Several hours later, the crew began to set the last string of pots. They had been up for about forty-eight hours and were all beginning to get a little groggy and even more irritable than usual. Jake Anderson and Matt Bradley had begun their usual verbal banter and things were getting heated fast. Edgar was losing patience having to play referee between the two feuding deckhands and Crystal was getting fed up with all of it. These guys were acting like a bunch of children! It was ridiculous.

"Say it again Bradley!" snarled Jake Anderson, his blue eyes flashing dangerously, "Say it again and I'll throw you over this goddamned rail!"

Matt sneered openly at Jake's threat, "Shut up momma's boy! Suck up your feelings and do your damn job! I swear to god if you did your job as much as you bitch and moan we would have had these pots over the rail hours ago!"

"That's it Bradley!" screamed Jake as he flew at Matt in a blind rage.

"Stop!" screamed Crystal as she jumped in between them, pushing Jake away from Matt, "Stop it NOW!"

Bradley tried to maneuver his way around Crystal to get at Jake who was still struggling to get out of Crystal's grasp. The fury in Jake's eyes startled Crystal and she knew if she let go that the two deckhands would fly at each other and rip each other apart. Fights on the rolling deck of a crab boat could be dangerous…even deadly if things got really out of hand…and Crystal wasn't about to let that happen.

Edgar moved quickly and shoved Matt Bradley away from Crystal and Jake.

"Get a hold of yourself you idiot!" shouted Edgar, "Knock it off, alright? Cool down, man…take some deep breaths. It's not worth all this shit!"

Matt was still trembling with rage as he forced himself to take several deep breaths and calm down. Edgar stayed with him until he was positive that Matt really was done trying to kill Jake.

Crystal edged away from Jake when she felt his muscles finally relax and his eyes lost the dangerous glint. She glanced over at Edgar and for a moment they shared an exasperated and annoyed glance.

"Are they always like this?" whispered Crystal when she and Edgar were out of earshot.

"Just when they get tired," muttered Edgar, his body language and tone of voice clearly telling Crystal that he had no desire to talk to her.

Crystal felt her own anger boiling up at Edgar's obvious dislike of her. What the hell had she done to deserve this? She was exhausted, tired of refereeing the deck and sick of Edgar's shit. As Edgar turned his back on her, clearly trying to ignore her presence, Crystal's rage finally boiled over.

"What the hell is your problem?" she snapped, her voice high and harsh with anger.

The entire crew of the Northwestern stopped what they were doing and turned around when they heard Crystal raise her voice to Edgar. Norman rolled his eyes at all the drama he was witnessing and muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

"Excuse me?" asked Edgar as he whirled around, eyes flashing with anger at being confronted by the greenhorn.

"You heard me," snapped Crystal, her blue eyes narrowing as she balled up her hands into fists at her side. "What the hell is your problem, huh? What did I ever do to you?"

Edgar sneered at her as he made a move to turn away.

"No!" shouted Crystal as she reached out and pulled Edgar back to face her, "Answer me! What the hell is it? Is it because I'm a _girl_?"

Edgar's eyes took on a dangerous glint that jolted Crystal. She let go of his rain jacket immediately and took a step back.

"Don't you ever touch me again," said Edgar through clenched teeth as he glared daggers at Crystal, "Stay the hell away from me."

Crystal swallowed nervously as Edgar whirled around and stalked off to the other side of the deck. She closed her eyes for a moment and took in a deep, shaky breath. The rest of the crew looked on with wide, scared eyes as they analyzed the scene in front of them.

"Holy shit," muttered Jake as he glanced over at Matt, "And I thought we were bad…"

Matt sneered in agreement and shook his head, "I don't know what's gotten into Edgar…but damn he's pissed at the girl!"

…

As soon as the last pot cleared the rail, Crystal made a bee-line for the door that led to the galley. She avoided Edgar like the plague as she grabbed a fresh change of clothes and hit the shower. After rinsing off quickly she through on a pair of sweats and a hoodie then made her way up to the wheelhouse. She was still shaky after her confrontation with Edgar and wanted to be distracted from the whole situation. More than that, she also wanted to see Sig.

Sig glanced up when he saw Crystal come in. His clear blue eyes sparkled as he watched her walk over to him. He reached out an arm and pulled her into him, kissing her deeply.

"Your brother's an ass," said Crystal as she pulled away after a moment.

Sig laughed at that, "Who are you telling? What'd he do to you this time?"

Crystal sighed and rolled her eyes, "The usual…sexist jokes. I guess I sorta snapped on him a few minutes ago but let's just say he snapped back. I'm pretty sure he wants me to fall overboard now. Hell he may even help me fall overboard."

Sig laughed gruffly at that as his hand rubbed small circles on the lower part of Crystal's back, "He wouldn't do that…trust me. He'd have to answer to me if he ever hurt you and let me assure you his wrath is nothing compared to mine."

Crystal shivered a little at that thought, torn between being scared of seeing Sig legitimately angry and thrilled at his protective nature over her. Despite the fact that he was married and years older than her, Crystal found herself falling hard and fast for the captain of the Northwestern. His sandy blonde hair, laughing light-blue eyes, gruff nature and infectious smile were addictive…never mind his kisses.

"I bet I can make you forget all about what happened out there," he whispered into her ear in a deep, rough voice, giving Crystal goose-bumps.

She bit her lower lip as she nodded in agreement and let him pick her up and put her on the dashboard behind him that he used to study his charts. Sig's breath was coming out in ragged gasps as he began to make-out with Crystal. His hands wandered up under her sweatshirt, making Crystal's heart race. Before she knew what was happening she was on the floor of the wheelhouse and Sig was on top of her. She couldn't even remember taking off her sweatshirt or her sweatpants, but there they were, on the ground next to her. Sig's hands were all over her body, making her head swim. She couldn't think clearly anymore. All logic was gone. All she could think about was how amazing it felt to be in Sig's arms. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as Sig made love to her. Everything inside her screamed that this was wrong…but at the moment…it all felt so, so right…

…

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**This will probably be my last update until next week. I go out of town tomorrow for a few days but should be back to updating Monday. If I get some free time tonight or tomorrow before I leave I'll update again but most likely this will be my last one until next week. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! : ) **


	5. Too Close

The next two days were a blur for Crystal. She found her mind wandering while she was working on deck. She thought about what she and Sig had done in his wheelhouse just two days ago. Part of it gave her goose bumps and the other part made her sick to her stomach. What the hell was she thinking? This man was not only her boss, but he was married…with kids for crying out loud! She was mentally beating herself up but the other part of her seemed to be thrilled about the whole thing. After all…it had been probably the most fun she'd had in a long time, that much was for sure. There weren't as many attractive, single men up near the Grand Banks, but here…yeah there were a few.

Edgar glowered at her as another pot cleared the rail, "Female! You gonna help or you gonna stand there in la-la land?"

Crystal sneered openly at Edgar. She had become bolder when it came to dealing with the irritable deckboss. He was clearly singling her out and purposefully making her life as miserable as possible. She couldn't figure out why he was doing it. She hadn't done anything to provoke this reaction, but for some reason she had successfully disgusted Edgar Hansen.

Edgar glared back at Crystal, trying to scare her into submission but the young woman just lifted her head proudly as she stalked over to the pot and helped unload the crab onto the table. Her blue eyes flashed with defiance as she cast a glare over at Edgar as the deckboss stood next to her to sort crab.

"They're either going to kill each other or end up in bed together," murmured Matt Bradley with an amused smirk on his face.

Jake Anderson couldn't help but laugh a little at that, "I'm willing to bet they end up killing each other…Edgar wouldn't sleep with her. And even if he wanted to I seriously doubt she'd let him."

"Okay it's a bet then," said Bradley, his eyes twinkling with mischief, "Fifty bucks?"

"Fifty bucks," agreed Jake as he and Matt shook on their new deal.

Normal rolled his eyes at both of them as he finished sorting crab and prepared to haul in the next pot.

Crystal moved to the rail and grabbed the swinging pot in an attempt to control it before they hauled it on board. As soon as her hand latched onto the steel siding of the pot, she heard Edgar call out a warning…and that was the last thing she heard before she felt herself fly through the air and land into the freezing cold Bering Sea…

…

The Northwestern had hit a wave just as Crystal had grabbed the pot. The pot flew away from the vessel, dragging Crystal with it. The second she hit the water it felt like a thousand knives were stabbing her all at once. The air was forced out of her lungs as she felt the icy-cold grip tighten around her like a vice. In that moment Crystal was sure that this was the end. This was how she would die. The Bering Sea would be her grave…there was nothing else to it. The odds of the crew being able to rescue her were slim to none. It was over…

Just as Crystal began to black out, she felt strong arms wrap around her, hauling her back to the churning surface of the sea. She could hear people screaming close by as something landed by her head, and then her world went dark.

"Hurry! Pull harder!" screamed a very panic-stricken Jake Anderson as he, Matt and Norman pulled feverishly on the rope. They had thrown out a life ring right after Edgar had taken a wild leap into the water in an effort to save Crystal. It had been a bone-headed move seeing as how they could both easily die now, but in that moment it was all Edgar could think to do.

As the crew hauled Edgar and the now-limp Crystal onto the deck, Sig Hansen was having a minor heart attack in the wheelhouse. His baby brother and the young woman he couldn't keep his mind off of were floating in the Bering Sea without survival suits. He felt his world spin wildly out of control as he fought to keep the vessel steady while the crew pulled them out of the water.

"They're on board!" screamed Jake as soon as Edgar and Crystal collapsed on the deck.

Sig breathed an instant sigh of relief but he knew that the battle was only half over. They could both easily still die from hypothermia. He got on the loud hailer and began to order his crew.

"Get them out of those clothes NOW! Get them inside, give them blankets, and put them on a bed! Hurry!" he shouted, his voice trembling with fear as he watched his crew scramble to follow their captain's orders.

Soon the crew had stripped Edgar and Crystal from their soaking-wet clothing and put them on the bottom bunk of the stateroom that the two shared. The piled blankets on top of them in a frenzy, trying to get them warm as soon as possible. Edgar was barely conscience as he glanced up at the terrified crew. Crystal was out cold and lay limply next to him, much to Edgar's horror. He wrapped himself around her freezing-cold body and prayed silently that she would wake up…

…

Several hours later, Edgar's eyes blinked open. He glanced around the stateroom, confused by his surroundings for a moment until everything came flooding back to him: Crystal reaching for the pot, the boat taking a hard wave, Crystal flying through the air, his heart skipping a beat as she hit the water hard, then him flying through the air and into the frigid water after her…then his crew trying to get them warm again…Crystal's body, as still as ice…

That thought jolted Edgar awake. He glanced down next to him and saw that Crystal still wasn't moving. His heart pounded furiously in his chest as he tried to wake her up.

"Crystal?" he asked as he shook her gently, then more firmly when she didn't respond, "Crystal! Wake up! Aw, shit…Crystal, come on don't do this to me…"

Crystal murmured something incoherent as she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Edgar. She gave him a confused look as she tried to remember why she was in bed with the deckboss. After a moment she remembered what happened and groaned quietly.

"That was stupid wasn't it?" she muttered quietly.

Edgar breathed a sigh of relief, "What? Grabbing the pot? Yeah that was pretty fucking stupid."

Crystal narrowed her eyes at him and was surprised to see Edgar laugh at her response, "Glad to see you're back to normal already."

Crystal was about to come up with a sharp retort when she suddenly realized that she was naked…in bed…next to Edgar Hansen. She cursed loudly as she jumped up, wrapping one of the blankets around her as quickly as she could…but not quick enough that Edgar didn't get a good look at her. He swallowed and gritted his teeth, trying to force himself to not like what he had seen.

"What the hell!" screeched Crystal, her eyes huge and shocked, "Why am I naked!"

Edgar laughed at her reaction and rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Because you were literally freezing to death and the crew had to cut off our clothes and get us under some warm, dry blankets to save our lives."

"_Our_ clothes off?" asked Crystal, her voice barely above a whisper, "That means…you're…"

"Naked under these blankets? Yes, yes I am," said Edgar with a huge grin on his face, "And when you were first put in this bed I had to cuddle with you to get you warm."

Crystal looked horrified as she glared daggers at Edgar, "I could kill you right now!" she screamed.

"Hey!" said Edgar, sitting up, "I saved your life! I think the least you could do is deal with us being naked and me trying to get you warm again."

Crystal tried to force herself to calm down, but something about being naked in bed with Edgar Hansen had jolted her. She saw the mischief dancing in Edgar's eyes as he watched her reaction and narrowed her eyes at him.

"God, you're impossible you know that?" she said after a moment.

Edgar just laughed and watched as Crystal stalked out of the room, grabbing some clothes on her way out, and trying to regain her dignity.

"Damn," said Edgar as he thought about the way Crystal looked as she had climbed out of bed, the image of her perfect body permanently ingrained in his mind, "This trip could get really interesting…"

…

Please Review!

Just to let everyone know, I won't be able to update everyday like I did earlier. My summer's gonna get busy but I promise to update whenever I can! : )


	6. Confused Seas

Crystal was pacing around in the galley, trying to regain her composure. She had been lying naked in bed with Edgar Hansen: the deckboss of the Northwestern…the captain's little brother…the captain whom she had slept with.

"Oh my God I'm so screwed," she muttered to herself as she contemplated the consequences of her actions just a couple days ago.

"Hey you," said a rough, sexy, all-too-familiar voice.

Crystal felt her heart skip a beat as Sig came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"How are you feeling?" he whispered in her ear as he leaned down to leave a trail of kisses on her neck.

Crystal closed her eyes, "Better…a lot better now, actually," she added with a smirk.

Sig smiled as he gazed down at her lustfully and turned her around so he could kiss her. The sparks flew again as Sig kissed her deeply and Crystal moaned from the pleasure of the moment. Somehow every time she was with this man she forgot about the implications of what they were doing…she forgot about the fact that he was married…and that he was twice her age. Nothing mattered but his hands on her body and his lips on hers.

"I heard my little brother kept you warm," said Sig after a moment.

Crystal visibly flinched at that, "Ugh, yeah…about that."

Sig just laughed, "Don't worry about it…its fine. Edgar's kind of a man-whore though so I wouldn't get too close if I were you."

Crystal rolled her eyes at that as she flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder, "Please, I seriously doubt Edgar would ever even consider something like that. He freaking hates me. And the feeling is pretty much mutual."

Sig laughed, "Doesn't matter…you're still a girl. That's all he cares about."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," said Crystal with a grimace on her face, "He annoys the hell out of me. I have no intentions of ever getting with your little brother."

Sig refilled his coffee mug and gave Crystal a wink as he patted her on the butt, "I'm not worried baby…I think I know by now you're mine."

Crystal felt herself shiver at those words as Sig left the galley and climbed into the wheelhouse. What exactly had he meant by that? He was married…so did he mean that she was his "mistress?" And if that was the case did that mean she couldn't be with anyone but him, despite the fact that they could never be in a real relationship? Crystal sighed in frustration and shook her head.

"How the hell did my life get this complicated?"

"What are you whining about now?" asked Edgar Hansen as he strode into the galley, yawning and stretching as he made his way to the coffee pot.

Crystal just shot Edgar a glare through narrowed eyes, much to his amusement. He gave her a crooked smile, his brown eyes twinkling as he glanced over at her.

"Aw, come on now. I saved your life…smile once in a while would you? Cut me some slack."

Crystal rolled her eyes at that, "Thank you for saving my life. Happy?"

"Geez," said Edgar, pretending to be hurt by Crystal's sharp retort, "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today," he added, his eyes glittering with mischief.

"You're such an ass," said Crystal, trying in vain to suppress a smirk at his comment as she shoved him away from her.

Edgar just laughed evilly as he left the galley, "Hurry up female! We gots us some work to do!"

Crystal sighed as she mentally prepared herself for another long, hard, grueling work day on board the Northwestern…

…

"Grab that pot!" shouted Matt Bradley as the crab pot swung wildly over the crew's heads, "Damn it! Watch out!"

Edgar was trying desperately to control the pot as the Northwestern rocked heavily in the seas. He manipulated the controls on the crane as he fought to get the pot back onto the deck as soon as possible before it could take out one of the deckhands.

The pot came crashing down to the deck of the boat suddenly without warning as the Northwestern rolled hard from a thirty foot wave. The crew scrambled to get out of the way as the put began to slide quickly across the deck. Edgar started screaming at his crew to move out of the way, his heart racing in panic as he watched the pot sweep across the deck.

Crystal was the closest person to the pot. As she tried to run away from the out-of-control piece of steel, her foot got caught on a loose board on the deck. She let out a cry of panic as she hit the deck, knowing that the pot wasn't too far behind her. She scrambled to stand back up but her feet were slipping on the slick deck of the boat. Suddenly, strong arms grabbed her and dragged her out of the way just as the Northwestern rolled again, sending the pot toward Crystal at a blazing speed. She was dragged out of the way just in time as the pot slammed into the other stack of pots on the other side of the boat.

Crystal lay on the deck, gasping for air as she tried to control her racing heart. For the second time in twenty-four hours she had almost died. And for the second time in twenty-four hours…Edgar Hansen had saved her. She glanced over at Edgar who was lying next to her on the deck, his brown eyes wide with panic as he tried to catch his breath and relax after the near catastrophe. He glanced over at Crystal and the two feuding deckhands shared a disbelieving and scared look before the rest of the crew ran over to help them to their feet.

"Holy shit!" said Jake, trembling with the aftershock of what had just happened, "Crystal, girl you're having one hell of a bad day!"

Crystal couldn't help but smirk a little at that as she shook her head in bewilderment, "Yeah normally I'm not this unlucky…but I guess it's just been one of those days, huh?"

"Yeah could that day end soon…please?" asked Edgar as he walked over to her, "The whole nearly having a heart attack thing is kinda getting old. And the whole having to save you every few hours thing is getting old too."

Crystal rolled her eyes at him, "Thanks…again," she said, glancing away, "I owe you…two now."

Edgar just sighed as he put an arm around her and gave her a tight squeeze, "No, just stop trying to die already, okay? Please?"

Crystal raised an eyebrow in surprise as Edgar hugged her, "Um, yeah…yeah I'll do my best to avoid dying from now on. No more throwing myself off the boat or under a swinging pot."

Edgar sneered at her, his eyes twinkling again, "Thank you. I figured that's not too much to ask."

Matt gave Jake a knowing look and Jake just rolled his eyes at Matt.

"Dude, I'm telling you," said Matt as he and Jake fixed the now-banged-up pot, "They're gonna end up in bed together."

"Shut up," muttered Jake, suddenly nervous that he might lose his fifty dollars in this bet, "I still think they'll get in a huge fight and kill each other first."

"I still think you both need to get a life," said Norman with an amused smirk on his face.

"Shut up Norman," said Matt with a laugh.

Jake just stuck his tongue out at Norman as they put the pot back up onto the launcher. He glanced over and saw Crystal and Edgar picking on each other again…but this time it seemed different. Hell if he didn't know any better he'd be willing to bet that Edgar might have even been flirting with her…

…

Please Review! : )


	7. On the Floor

**Hey guys! In order to get the story moving a bit more I'm gonna skip ahead a few weeks to the end of King Crab season. I think you'll understand why as you read : ) Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! I'm glad so many people like this one!**

**The song/lyrics/title of this chapter came from a song called "On the Floor" by Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull. I have a strange obsession with Pitbull yesterday and this song is my favorite : ) **

The next few weeks flew by in a quick blur for Crystal. Between battling rough, untamable seas and her conflicting emotions toward Sig, she was ready for a break. Besides that, Edgar had begun to show some acts of kindness toward her since the two times he had to save her life. She'd managed to avoid any more life-threatening situations, but Edgar's concern for her well-being only intensified as the season had wore on. Crystal simply chalked that up to the fact that she'd nearly died a couple times on Edgar's watch and he was paranoid that she actually would die eventually and that'd look bad on him and the rest of the crew. However, the rest of the crew began to mutter amongst themselves that Edgar may have a slight crush on the young, pretty greenhorn.

Crystal sighed with relief as the Northwestern pulled into the docks at Dutch Harbor. It was finally the end of King crab season and they would get a few weeks off before Opillio season began. She couldn't wait to touch dry, solid ground again. Rolling around on twenty to forty foot seas was not something she enjoyed for extended periods of time…much less the drama that had been playing out between her and Sig. Every time she was with him Crystal felt free and happy but when it was over she was always left feeling a little hollow and very, very guilty. She had no clue what to do about the situation. Part of her wanted to end it…to tell Sig it would never work and that they needed to stop…but the other part of her just didn't want to. It was eating her alive.

"You going to the club tonight?"

Crystal jumped slightly as Edgar's rough, deep voice startled her from her reverie.

"Um, I don't know…didn't hear anything about it," she stammered, brushing her long blonde hair behind her ear nervously as Edgar leaned over the rail next to her.

He gave her a slight eye-roll as he replied, "Oh come on, everyone knows about it. Everyone hits up this little club in town when they get back to the docks. There'll be music, dancing, drinking…the usual. Most of the guys go there to pick up girls and get laid."

"Charming," said Crystal with a smirk, "And what would I gain by going to this 'club?'"

Edgar shrugged, glancing away nervously, "Just fun…you know, let loose after being stuck on this hell-hole of a boat for weeks on end."

Crystal smirked at that, "Alright…yeah I'll check it out."

Edgar smiled at that, "Good…I'll see you there then," he said as he jumped off the boat and onto the dock to help tie the Northwestern down.

Crystal gazed after him for a moment, her face contorted slightly with confusion, before she jumped off to help him tie up the boat.

…

That evening, Crystal slipped inside the local bar which had been turned into more of a club for the crews of the crab fishing vessels who had returned that day. Crystal bit her lower lip nervously when she noticed that she was attracting quite a bit of attention from several men in the room. She wondered if she shouldn't have worn the black mini skirt and red, sleeveless top…the guys seemed to be liking it just a little too much. She glanced around the room, trying to find the familiar faces of her crew.

Just then, a strong arm grabbed hers and began to drag her through the crowd. Crystal's eyes widened in surprise when she saw the fury written all over Sig Hansen's face as he dragged her to the back corner of the club where the rest of the Northwestern crew sat huddled around a table, sipping on beers.

"What's wrong?" she asked as they neared the table.

"Nothing," said Sig shortly, "I just…I saw the way the guys were looking at you...had to get you outta there."

"Oh," said Crystal, glancing away as the crew gave her and Sig questioning stares.

"Saved her from the pigs," explained Sig as he gestured over his shoulder to the leering men who were still letting loose catcalls and vulgar comments about Crystal.

The crew nodded in understanding as they sent threatening glares in the crabbers' direction.

"I'll be back," said Sig after a moment, "Gotta go catch up with some of the other captains…you guys have fun."

Edgar muttered something under his breath about Sig and glanced over toward the bar, "I'm getting something a little stronger than a beer…Crystal? Care to join me?"

Crystal gave Edgar a startled look, "Um, yeah, sure."

Matt gave Jake a knowing look and winked at him. Jake grimaced, worried that Matt might really win the bet. Norman just snickered at the deckhands and watched his little brother walk toward the bar with Crystal in tow.

Edgar ordered them both a couple shots and leaned back on the bar stool as he downed his. Crystal drank hers quickly, eliciting a surprised and impressed look from Edgar. She smiled and tilted her head up with a confident gesture.

"Damn," said Edgar, "Alright…you won bonus points."

Crystal smiled broadly at that as she ordered more shots. Edgar shook his head in bewilderment, "Girl I hope you can hold your alcohol."

Crystal rolled her eyes, "Please…you have no idea."

Edgar smiled coyly at that and ordered more for himself. After a while some of the crabbers around them began to lead their women to the dance floor as music began to blare from the speakers. Edgar gave Crystal a questioning look and hesitated before he spoke.

"Wanna dance?"

Crystal nearly choked on her shot as she gave Edgar a shocked look, "You…you want to dance? With _me_?"

Edgar shrugged, glancing away, "Yeah why not? And if you don't want to, it's cool. No pressure."

Crystal hesitated for a second before she replied, "Yeah…yeah why not?"

Edgar's eyes twinkled with excitement as he reached over and took Crystal's hand. He led her away from the bar and onto the dance floor as the music pulsed.

_If you go hard you gotta get on the floor_

_If you're a party freak then step on the floor_

_If you're an animal then tear up the floor_

_Break a sweat on the floor_

_Yeah we work on the floor_

_Don't stop, keep it moving_

_Put your drinks up_

_Pick your body up and drop it on the floor_

_Let the rhythm change your world on the floor_

_You know we're running shit tonight on the floor_

_Brazil, Morocco_

_London to Ibiza_

_Straight to L.A. New York _

_Vegas to Africa (Dale!)_

Crystal found herself swept away in the music as she moved to the fast-paced beat. Edgar was pleasantly surprised to see how well she moved. His hands slid down to her hips as he moved with her. Crystal looked up and saw the desire gleaming in Edgar's brown eyes and suddenly found it hard to breathe as they moved to the pulsating beat.

_Dance the night away_

_Live your life and stay out on the floor_

_Dance the night away_

_Grab somebody, drink a little more_

_Lalalalalalalalalalalalalala-a_

_Tonight we gon' be it on the floor_

_Lalalalalalalalalalalalalala-a_

_Tonight we gon' be it on the floor_

"Holy shit," murmured Jake Anderson as he looked up and saw Edgar moving up against Crystal. Their bodies were pressed together now as they rocked to the music.

"YES!" shouted Matt Bradley, "Dude you are so gonna owe me that fifty bucks after tonight!"

"I hate you," muttered Jake as he took another swig of his beer.

Norman laughed at both of them as he watched his little brother dance with Crystal. He was impressed…he hadn't seen Edgar so taken with a girl in a long time. This just might do his grumpy, irritable self some good…

_I know you got it clap your hands on the floor_

_And keep on rockin', rock it up on the floor_

_If you're a criminal kill it on the floor_

_Steal it quick on the floor, on the floor_

_Don't stop, keep it moving_

_Put your drinks up_

_It's getting ill_

_It's getting sick on the floor_

_We never quit, we never rest on the floor_

_If I ain't wrong we'll probably die on the floor_

_Brazil, Morocco_

_London to Ibiza_

_Straight to LA, New York_

_Vegas to Africa_

Unfortunately for Crystal…the crew were not the only ones who had noticed her dancing with Edgar.

"Dude isn't that your greenhorn…and your brother?" said Jonathan Hillstrand as he pointed toward the dance floor.

The captains had gathered on the other side of the bar and were swapping stories when the dancing started. Sig turned around to see what Jonathan was talking about and it took everything inside of him not to scream. Edgar was grinding up against Crystal…in a very lewd, sexual way…and everyone was watching. Hell they had their own mini-audience around them cheering them on! What the hell was Edgar doing? What the hell was _Crystal_ doing?

_Dance the night away_

_Live your life and stay out on the floor_

_Dance the night away_

_Grab somebody, drink a little more_

_Lalalalalalalalalalalalalala-a_

_Tonight we gon' be it on the floor_

_Lalalalalalalalalalalalalala-a_

_Tonight we gon' be it on the floor_

As the rap portion of the song broke out, Crystal let loose. The combination of the pulsating beat, the alcohol in her system and Edgar's hands on her body finally made her lose control. Her hips swayed and bucked faster and Edgar increased his pace to keep up with her. Everyone around them began to cheer and whistle as they encouraged them to keep going. Edgar and Crystal looked into each other's eyes, both of them full of lust and intoxication, and in that moment Crystal knew she had dug herself into another deep hole…

_That badonka donk is like a trunk full of bass on an old school Chevy_

_Seven tray donkey donk_

_All I need is some vodka some … and coke_

_And watch people get donkey konged_

_Baby if you're ready for things to get heavy_

_I get on the floor and act a fool if you let me_

_Dale_

_Don't believe me just bet me_

_My name ain't Keith but I see why you sweat me_

_L.A. Miami New York_

_Say no more get on the floor_

_Get on the floor_

_Lalalalalalalalalalalalalala-a_

_Tonight we gon' be it on the floor_

_Lalalalalalalalalalalalalala-a_

_Tonight we gon' be it on the floor_

_Lalalalalalalalalalalalalala-a_

_Tonight we gon' be it on the floor!_

As the music drew to a close, Crystal leaned her head on Edgar's chest, panting for air as she tried to calm her racing heart. The bar erupted in cheers as the next song started up. She glanced up at Edgar and saw that the lustful look hadn't left his eyes.

"You wanna get out of here?" he murmured in her ear.

Against her better judgment…Crystal looked up…and said yes…

…

Please Review!

I updated again today to make up for the fact that I may not be able to write anymore until Monday…I may have time between now and then but most likely not so…this is to make up for it! : )


	8. Proposition

Early the next morning, Crystal's eyes blinked open slowly as she tried to remember where she was. She realized she was in her stateroom on board the Northwestern and that she had a pounding headache, but aside from that she could remember little else. She groaned slightly at the pulsing pain in her head, mentally kicking herself for having way too much to drink last night…wait…last night. That was it. Her mind spun quickly as everything came back to her. She had gone to the local bar in town that had turned into a club with the return of the crab fishing fleet. She had drank way too much and ended up on the dance floor…with Edgar Hansen. Then she had ended up here, in bed…with Edgar.

Crystal rolled over in the small bed and saw Edgar lying next to her, one arm draped around her waist, his mouth open slightly as he slept through the morning. Crystal flashed back to them stumbling into the stateroom, Edgar's lips finding hers as they began to make-out passionately. They both collapsed on the bed, fumbling with each other's clothes as they began to have sex. But it wasn't just sex…no this was slow and passionate at first then grew more intense as the night wore on. Crystal remembered Edgar's brown eyes as he gazed at her with a mixture of adoration and lust.

Crystal's blue eyes grew wide with horror as she realized the predicament she had now put herself in.

"Holy shit…what the hell have I done?"

…

Sig Hansen was furious. No…furious was putting it kindly. He was beyond rage. He was beyond pissed off. He was jealous as hell and it made him want to punch somebody's lights out and in this case that somebody was his little brother. His fist pounded on the dashboard for what had to be the fifth time that morning as he played the scene out over and over in his head…his little brother and Crystal moving to the pulsating music, their bodies moving in sync, so well in fact that it looked rehearsed or like they'd been dancing together like that for years…his little brother grabbing Crystal's hand and leading her out of the bar while everyone else whistled and cheered them on.

He didn't want to think about what had happened when they'd left the bar. That only made him sick to his stomach. He couldn't think about someone else's hands on Crystal's perfect body…it made him nauseous. It made him furious.

"Damn it," he muttered to himself. No woman had made him feel this strongly in a very long time. Things had gotten way out of hand. Sure so far things between himself and Crystal had remained strictly sexual, but for some reason Sig just couldn't let her go. He wasn't willing to acquiesce and hand her over to his little brother like that. Deep down he knew this was probably for the best. After all…he was married and had kids. And he knew his wife, June, would divorce him in a heartbeat if she had any idea what had happened on this trip. The rational part of him said to let her go and move on with life…but the other side of him…the illogical, wild side….said to hold on and hold on tight…

…

Crystal finished cleaning the dishes in the galley while the rest of the crew slept away the morning. She didn't want to be in bed with Edgar when he woke up, for fear of how he'd react once he realized what they'd done last night, and she didn't want to be anywhere near Sig. He hadn't left the wheelhouse yet and she didn't want to be the first one to see him. Therefore, the galley was the safest place for her to be at the moment.

The Northwestern was steaming from Dutch Harbor, Alaska to Seattle, Washington, her home port. They would be arriving the next morning and would be greeted by friends and family…including Sig's wife. That very thought made Crystal cringe. Although she knew the woman wouldn't have a clue as to what had happened, she still didn't look forward to meeting her. She had to be gorgeous…Sig had a very particular taste in women after all.

"I don't hate you."

The voice made Crystal jump. She nearly dropped the ceramic plate into the sink as she tried to regain her composure. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Edgar hovering near the entrance to the galley. He was leaning on the doorframe and seemed to have been there for a while now, watching her. She swallowed nervously as she waited for him to continue.

"Just thought you should know that," continued Edgar, glancing away, "You…you unnerve me. And I guess I don't know how to handle that…but the alcohol last night helped a bit."

Crystal couldn't help but blush a little and smile when she saw Edgar flash her his trademark crooked grin, his brown eyes glinting with mischief as he thought about last night's events.

"Alcohol has a way of making you lose your inhibitions that's for sure," said Crystal quietly.

Edgar nodded as he walked over and began to help her dry and put away the dishes, "So…last night…I just want you to know that I didn't mean for that to be a one-night-stand thing…unless that's what you wanted…but I mean...I don't want you to think I was just using you…"

Crystal smirked at Edgar's nervousness, "You mean like the way you use all the other women?"

Edgar froze at that and gave Crystal a startled look.

"Sig warned me about you," she said, glancing away, "I asked Jake about it…he said you tend to be a little more on the promiscuous side. You like picking up women in port?"

Edgar muttered something about killing his older brother and Jake before he replied, "Um…yeah I mean, that's what I usually do. I'm not really all that proud of it…it's just…part of the lifestyle."

Crystal grunted at that, rolling her eyes as she thought about Sig and his current "lifestyle" with her, "Yeah I've noticed."

"But…I didn't really mean it to be like that last night," muttered Edgar, looking nervous, "I mean…I didn't want it to be just…sex. You're different than the others. A lot different. I don't know…I just…I don't think of you like some one-night-stand. I'd like to get to know you better during the next few weeks when we're off. Unless you have to go back to the Grand Banks or if you're not interested its okay…"

Crystal couldn't help but smile a little at Edgar's flustered behavior. It was rather attractive in a way.

"No, I don't have to go back to the Banks," she said after a moment.

Edgar gave her a hopeful glance, "Oh, really? That's…that's good. So if you're not too busy…I mean if you wanted to hang out or something…"

Crystal hesitated for a moment. She could just imagine what Sig's reaction was going to be to all of this. But quite frankly in that moment Crystal didn't really care. What she and Sig had was purely physical…and he was married. Sig needed to get back to his family and get his life back in line. Edgar on the other hand was single…and so was she. The bottom line was that Edgar made sense in her life…Sig didn't.

"Yeah…yeah I'd like that," said Crystal, smiling as she made her decision.

Edgar grinned like a little boy with excitement, "Really?"

Crystal smiled at his reaction, feeling her heart lighten a little as she gazed up into his dark brown eyes.

"Really."

…

Please Review!

By the way…there's gonna be a huge discovery here soon that will forever change all 3 main characters lives. Just thought I'd let you all know that a plot twist is on the way! : ) Thanks so much for reading! I love the feedback!


	9. Coming Home

Sig sighed and rubbed his tired eyes as he prepared to go down into the galley. He had to go give the crew their cuts from the trip and send them on their way back home for the off season. They were only a couple miles from shore and would soon be reunited with their families. Sig groaned when he realized that would mean he would have to see his wife again after all that had happened with Crystal. Speaking of Crystal, Sig wondered what she would do…would she go home? Would she stay here? And if she stayed here…would she be willing to see him again? What about Edgar? All the questions were giving Sig a headache. He grumbled something under his breath as he stood up and made his way downstairs to the galley.

The crew were gathered around the galley table sipping on coffee and sharing stories from the trip. Edgar was sitting next to Crystal, one arm loosely draped over the back of her seat as they laughed at one of Jake's ridiculous stories from his adventures back home with some of his friends.

Sig walked into the galley and froze for a moment when he saw Edgar's arm around Crystal's seat and noted how close they were sitting together at the table. The rest of the crew seemed rather pleased by the turn of events…except for Jake who had been forced to hand over his fifty dollars to Matt earlier that morning after losing the bet. Edgar had finally found a woman he was willing to stick with. It was shocking as well as exciting for him and everyone else. Sig seemed to be the only one truly distraught by the sight.

Crystal had glanced up when Sig walked into the galley. She felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the startled and angry look in his eyes as he studied her and Edgar. She bit her lower lip nervously and glanced away, praying that the rest of the crew wouldn't notice the unusual interaction between them.

"Sig!" said Jake when he glanced up and noticed their captain, "You got our money?"

Sig seemed to snap out of his startled trance, "Uh…yeah…yeah, here you go," he said as he passed around the checks to the crew, "We're a couple miles from port so you guys might wanna get out there and get ready to tie her up."

Edgar frowned slightly at his brother's harsh tone of voice. Normally Sig was ecstatic at the end of a good fishing season.

"What the hell got his panties in a bunch?" he asked as Sig disappeared back into the wheelhouse.

Crystal shifted uneasily in her seat, "Maybe he's just stressed about getting things in order before he heads home?" she suggested.

Edgar sighed, "Whatever…sometimes I think he's worse than a woman on her period…no offense."

Crystal rolled her eyes at Edgar and nudged him playfully, much to the crew's amusement.

"We better go," suggested Norman after a moment, "Sig's gonna be screaming at us here soon if we aren't out there to tie up the boat."

"Oh God forbid," muttered Edgar, "Let's make sure the overly-sensitive captain is happy…as long as he's happy the rest of us are allowed to be happy."

The crew grunted and nodded in agreement as they all went out on deck and prepared the lines. As they neared the docks in Seattle, Washington, Crystal could see several people waving and cheering as they waited for the Northwestern to pull into her berth. She frowned slightly as she made out what she thought was Sig's wife. She would have to be careful about how she acted around Sig…she didn't want to give anything away to anybody and if anyone would notice anything out of place or unusual…it would be his wife.

"Don't worry, I don't have anyone waiting on me either," said Edgar as he put an arm around Crystal's waist, "Norm's got some buddies waiting to pick him up and Jake's family is all there…Sig's wife and kids are all there too looks like."

Crystal grimaced despite herself at that…kids. She forgot about the kids.

"Yeah my parents couldn't make the trip," she said, trying to keep her mind free from the conflicting emotions that were hitting her, "Too busy with the boat over in the Grand Banks."

Edgar nodded as he tightened his grip on her, "No worries…we have each other."

Crystal smiled at that, suddenly grateful for Edgar's presence. She wasn't sure she could endure what was about to happen without him there to unknowingly bail her out of a potentially awkward conversation.

"Thank God."

…

"Sig!" shouted a woman who looked to be about fifteen years older than Crystal.

Crystal flinched a little at hearing another woman call out to Sig with excitement and affection. It made the guilt churning around inside her that much worse. She'd slept with a married man…and this was his wife, calling out to him…excited to see him for the first time in weeks…weeks that he'd spent having sex with her.

Edgar and Crystal got off the boat together and helped tie her up to the dock. Jake jumped off next and ran toward his mother and sisters who were screaming, crying and cheering with excitement at seeing the only man in their family. He hugged them all, tearing up a little himself as he was reunited with his family. Norman walked over to his buddies and waved to everyone else as he made a quick departure from the Northwestern, eager to begin his life on the land for the next few weeks.

Sig walked over to his wife and gave her a hug and a kiss. The woman, June, clung onto his arm and leaned on him as he greeted his two daughters. Crystal felt bile rise up in her throat at the sight as guilt overwhelmed her. She had no business sleeping with that man…not when he had a wife and daughters back home. How could she have been so stupid?

"Where are you staying?" asked Edgar, forcing Crystal to ignore the reunion scene.

"Um…well I was thinking about finding a cheap hotel somewhere to stay until Opillio season," said Crystal. She hadn't really thought that far ahead yet. In retrospect it would have been a good idea to have figured all that out beforehand.

"Well…if you want you could always stay at my apartment," suggested Edgar, glancing away nervously, "I mean…it would save you money and I wouldn't mind the company…"

Crystal beamed happily at that suggestion. In that moment the very thought of being alone in a random, crappy hotel was unthinkable. Staying with Edgar Hansen on the other hand…

"I would love that!" said Crystal excitedly, "I mean…I don't want to impose…"

Edgar's eyes were twinkling happily. Her reaction made his heart skip a beat. This gorgeous woman wanted to stay with him for several weeks? He couldn't remember the last time he'd been in a relationship that lasted more than a few _days_.

"Of course not!" said Edgar with a laugh, "It would make the next few weeks a lot more bearable…and less lonely."

Crystal smiled at that, "In that case, I'd love to stay with you."

Edgar felt himself blush and Crystal was convinced in that moment she'd never seen a more attractive man in her life.

"What are you two talking about over here?" asked Sig as he, his wife and his two daughters walked over to them.

Crystal's happiness evaporated instantly, replaced by a wave of guilt and fear as Sig eyed her suspiciously.

"She's staying with me," said Edgar with a huge grin on his face, oblivious to the tension in the air, "Crystal's gonna stay with me till Opillio season."

Sig's eyes widened at that as he glanced over at Crystal, "Oh? Is that so?"

Crystal shifted uneasily, refusing to meet Sig's piercing, accusing gaze.

"Oh, Sig stop that!" chastised his wife, misinterpreting Sig's reaction, "You and I had our fun before we got married…let the kids have some of their own. You two go have fun!"

Crystal gritted her teeth, feeling another nauseating wave of guilt hit her at June's kindness. If that woman had any idea what Crystal had done…the last thing she'd be doing would be vouching for her.

"Exactly," said Edgar, narrowing his eyes at his older brother, "Alright, we're heading out. Bye everyone!"

Edgar put an arm around Crystal and led her away from the dock as the rest of the crew and their families called out their goodbyes. Sig glared after them, his anger reaching boiling point as he watched Edgar help Crystal get into his truck. Crystal could feel Sig's infuriated stare but refused to look back. She felt the tension slowly melting away the further she and Edgar got from the dock…and from Sig Hansen. She was determined to enjoy the next few weeks with Edgar…regardless of his older brother's insane jealousy and obsession with her…

…

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I think I'm gonna write another chapter tonight too…I'm in the mood : ) lol


	10. One Last Time

_Four Weeks Later…_

Crystal smiled as she woke up and rolled over, her eyes landing on Edgar's sleeping form in the early morning light. The past few weeks had been a blur of happiness and excitement as she and Edgar slowly grew closer and closer together. They both knew that first night she stayed at his apartment that there was no way that either one of them would sleep on the couch. They couldn't stay away from each other…she'd slept in his bed with him every night and loved every minute of it.

Just then, Edgar's phone went off, startling both of them. Edgar groaned as he rolled over and grabbed his cellphone off of the little stand next to his bed.

"I'll kill Sig," he muttered before he answered the phone.

Crystal froze at the mention of Sig Hansen. She hadn't spoken to or heard from the captain since they'd left the dock about a month ago. Edgar had never brought him up in conversation…clearly the two brothers weren't close and as far as Crystal could tell, neither of them really liked each other all that much to begin with…which worked out just fine for her as far as she was concerned.

"Yeah, sure….okay…we'll be there….yeah…thanks," said Edgar as he ended the call.

"What was that all about?" asked Crystal, keeping her voice neutral and trying to sound uninterested in the conversation. Inside however, she was dying to know what Sig had told Edgar.

Edgar gave her a confused look, "No idea…but he wants us both to join him and June for dinner tonight at his place."

Crystal gave Edgar a startled look, "What? Why?"

Edgar shrugged, "I have no idea. My brother never invites me over…ever. Maybe he's just happy I've got someone finally? I don't know. Anyway, he wants us there at six if that's okay with you."

Crystal swallowed nervously, suddenly feeling queasy, "Um…yeah, yeah that's fine," she said as she felt her world begin to spin out of control. What if Sig said something at dinner? Would he hint at what had happened between them? What would she do if he flat out told everyone what they had done? The very thought made her want to throw up right then and there. Tonight could ruin everything…absolutely everything…

…

Edgar rang the doorbell on the rather large, elegant house right by the ocean. Crystal shifted uneasily as they waited for someone to answer. She wore her little black dress with matching kitten heels and had done her hair and makeup for the occasion. Knowing Sig she figured this would be more of a formal dinner. He never did anything halfway. Edgar wore a black, button-up oxford shirt and designer jeans which, in Crystal's opinion, made him look sexier than she thought possible.

"Hello! Welcome!" exclaimed June as she threw open the door.

Crystal put on her best fake smile and tried to act calm and happy as she gave June a hug and followed Edgar into the rather exquisite dining room. Sig was placing some platters onto the table as they walked in. He glanced up and froze when his eyes met Crystal's. He glanced at her from head to toe and Crystal shivered slightly under his admiring glance, praying that Edgar wouldn't notice.

"Hey big bro," said Edgar coolly as he walked over and gave Sig a hug, "Thanks for the invite."

"Hey, no problem," said Sig, smiling calmly and moving with ease as he set up the table, "Figured this would be nice…get both couples together for a nice dinner shortly before the Opillio season begins."

Edgar nodded, "Yeah I'm all for it…your wife is one hell of a cook."

June beamed happily at that, "Aw you're just being nice," she said as she whisked away into the kitchen to finish her last dish.

"How are you doing Crystal?" asked Sig as his clear blue eyes met hers.

Crystal swallowed anxiously, surprised at being addressed so directly by Sig for the first time in weeks.

"I'm doing very well," she said with a forced smile, "Edgar and I've had an amazing last few weeks, haven't we?" she added, pointedly reminding Sig that she was with Edgar now and that their fling was over.

Sig tensed up visibly at that but forced himself to relax as Edgar replied.

Edgar gave a sheepish grin, "Best few weeks of my life," he said in agreement.

"Okay! We're ready!" said June as she bustled back into the dining room with the last dish, "Everyone take a seat, make yourselves at home and enjoy!"

Crystal sat down next to Edgar at what she was convinced would be the longest, most awkward dinner of her entire life…

…

"So how long have you two been together…officially that is?" asked Sig after a few moments.

Crystal nearly choked on her wine. Even though the question wasn't directed at her, she wasn't expecting Sig to start digging into her and Edgar's relationship so early into the evening.

"Well…we all know about the night at the bar," said Edgar, grinning devilishly, "I'd say we started right after we got off the boat pretty much. We got close fast."

Edgar reached over for Crystal's hand as she gave him an encouraging smile. Inside, however, Crystal wanted to run away from this whole dinner thing. This was a mistake…she could feel it. It was going to get worse.

"Wow, you two move fast," said Sig, his eyes darting over to Crystal and giving her a hard glare.

Crystal gritted her teeth and looked away.

"Sometimes you just know," said Edgar calmly, "And with Crystal…I just knew she was the one. So yeah I guess to everyone else it may have seemed fast but to us…it was just perfect."

Crystal nodded in agreement, "I've never felt like anything in my life was as right as this is. It really is about as perfect as it can get."

Sig gripped his fork and stabbed at his steak as if he were trying to kill the animal all over again. It made Crystal wince a little and bite her lower lip nervously.

"That's…great," said Sig, forcing himself to smile.

"It's wonderful!" gushed June, "You two look good together. I'm so happy for you both!"

"Thank you, June," said Edgar as he gave her a smile and cast a hard, warning glare in Sig's direction. He couldn't figure out why his brother was so infatuated with his relationship with Crystal. It was getting rather annoying.

As the evening wore on, the dinner began to smooth out as the two couples discussed fishing, life, interests, hobbies and ended on sharing some funny stories about things that had happened recently in their lives. After a while, Edgar stretched and stood up from the table.

"Well thank you June for the wonderful dinner and thank you Sig for the invite," he said as Crystal stood up next to him, "But I think it's about time we head back. We gotta catch up on sleep before we head out for Opillio it two days."

June nodded in agreement, "Ah, yes you all need to go get some good rest before the season begins."

"I'll walk them to the door," said Sig as he stood up and led Edgar and Crystal out of the dining room.

Sig opened the door for them and as they began to slip outside, he grabbed Crystal's arm. Her eyes flew open in panic as she glanced up at him. She thought that the worst was over…that they'd bypassed the incredible awkwardness and managed to move on, but it didn't look like Sig was done with her just yet. He slipped a note into her hand and gave her a wink as he began to close the door behind her.

"Have a good night you two!" he called out as Crystal tried to regain her composure for Edgar.

Crystal waited until she and Edgar got back to the apartment to read the note. She excused herself to the bathroom and sat down on the floor as she unfolded the scrap of paper and read its contents:

_I can't stop thinking about you. I know you are with Edgar now but I want to see you one more time. One more time and I'll leave you alone. Please. Meet me at the hotel near the dock tomorrow at 8. Edgar has to meet up with Jake then anyway. They have plans to hang out tomorrow night. See you soon beautiful._

Crystal ripped the note up into a thousand little pieces and then flushed it down the toilet. She put her head in her hands and shook it in disbelief. What the hell was Sig getting at? He wanted to see her one last time? As if that would be enough…the way he looked at her, she knew he wanted her badly. But maybe…maybe if she did this then this really would be over. Satisfy Sig one more time and maybe he'd let her go. Maybe then things could return to normal. With a sigh Crystal knew she really didn't have that much of a choice. If she said no she knew Sig would find a way to get to her when they were on the boat and that would risk her getting caught by one of the other deckhands or worse, Edgar himself. This was easier…less messy…if there was such a thing as "less messy" in this whole situation.

"Fine Sig," she muttered to herself, "You win…one last time…"

…

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	11. Unexpected Complication

The next evening Crystal said bye to Edgar as he left the apartment to go meet up with Jake. She waited a few more minutes, making sure he was really gone, before she too left the apartment and climbed into the rental car she picked up for the past few weeks. Taking a deep breath she slipped the car into drive and headed out toward the docks…

…

Sig was pacing around out in front of the hotel overlooking the harbor. The Northwestern was docked just a few feet away and the night air was beginning to grow quite cold as he waited impatiently for Crystal to arrive. He knew she would…she couldn't resist him. He had a power over her that she couldn't say no to. That was why whenever he was around her and Edgar she couldn't make eye-contact with him…why she seemed anxious and suddenly clumsy whenever he entered a room. Those thoughts made Sig smile to himself. Despite the fact that she was now with his little brother, he still got to her…and got to her badly.

A small Honda Civic pulled into the parking lot and Sig smiled in satisfaction when he saw who was behind the wheel, "I knew you'd come."

Crystal shivered at Sig's deep, rough voice as he gazed at her from head to toe, clearly liking what he was seeing. Another pang of guilt hit her as she realized what they were about to do. She was about to have sex with a married man...again…only this time she too was in a relationship…with the married man's little brother. How much more screwed up could her life possibly get?

…

"I have to go," gasped Crystal as she climbed off the bed.

Sig lay next to her, panting as they finished what had to have been the fifth time they'd had sex that night, "Why? This is our last night together…we should make it count."

Crystal shivered slightly, suddenly feeling disgusted with herself, "No, Sig…I shouldn't have even come."

"But you did."

"Because I knew you wouldn't leave me alone if I didn't," she retorted, anger sharpening her voice as she gathered her clothes and got dressed.

Sig laughed an almost evil laugh at her reply, "You know me too well, Crystal."

Crystal sneered at that as she grabbed her purse and her keys and made her way to the door, "I have to go…Edgar will be back soon."

"Edgar," snarled Sig, his eyes glinting angrily, "What do you see in my little brother anyway?"

"I love him, Sig," said Crystal, giving Sig a hard look, "And he's single…he's available. You on the other hand are married."

"And if I wasn't?"

Crystal wasn't sure what to say to that. If Sig wasn't married they both knew things would have been very, very different.

"Goodbye Sig," muttered Crystal as she quickly exited the room and practically ran toward her car. She felt a sudden need to get as far away from the hotel as humanly possible…

…

Early the next morning, Crystal woke up feeling incredibly nauseous. She'd felt this way before whenever she went through a guilty phase with the whole "affair with Sig" thing, but this was different. She scrambled out of bed, jolting Edgar awake, and made a bee-line for the bathroom. After heaving repeatedly into the toilet, Crystal sat back against the wall and took deep, shaky breaths, trying to calm herself down. She hadn't been this sick in a very, very long time.

"Baby?" asked Edgar as he knocked on the door and slowly peered inside, "Crystal? You okay?"

Crystal nodded weakly as Edgar slipped inside and sat down next to her in the bathroom.

"I think so," she said, suddenly feeling a wave of nausea overwhelm her. Edgar reached over and held back her long, blonde hair as Crystal heaved uselessly into the toilet. She had nothing left to throw up but her body kept forcing her to retreat to the toilet. Edgar frowned in concern as he watched his girlfriend struggle to calm her body down.

"Think you should go see a doctor?" he asked after a moment, "I've never seen you like this before…maybe it'd be a good idea to get checked out before we head back out to sea? We gotta leave tomorrow morning."

Crystal hesitated but nodded, "Yeah…yeah I think that'd be a good idea. I don't feel right at all."

"Okay, come on," said Edgar as he helped her to her feat, "Let's go see the doc."

…

Crystal and Edgar sat together in one of the many rooms in the small hospital as they waited for the doctor to come see them.

"Hello," said an older man with greying hair as he slipped into the room, "The nurse tells me you feel very nauseated and can't seem to elevate the symptoms?"

"That's right," said Crystal, biting her lip as another wave of nausea overwhelmed her, "I…I haven't eaten anything either. I don't know what's causing this."

"Okay….are you sexually active?" asked the doctor after a moment.

Crystal almost laughed out loud at that…if he only knew just _how_ active she'd been…

"Um, yes, yes I am," she said nervously as Edgar sat next to her with a happy grin on his face, clearly pleased that her answer implied the two of them were sleeping together. Something about telling people that made him incredibly happy. He was so proud to have her in his life and as far as he was concerned the whole world should know just how involved they were.

"Okay, well your symptoms sound a lot like you may be pregnant," said the doctor calmly, "So I'm going to administer some tests and then get you the results here in just a few minutes."

Edgar's eyes grew wide with excitement as the doctor left the room to go get the testing materials.

"Pregnant?" he exclaimed, "Are you serious? Oh my God, baby if you're pregnant I swear to God I will be the best dad and I'll take care of you and…"

Edgar's excited rambling slowly faded from Crystal's mind as she flew into a panic. She could be pregnant? But…with whose baby? What if it wasn't Edgar's baby at all…but his older brother's?

"I…I think I'm going to be sick again," said Crystal as she lunged for the nearby trashcan…only this time she knew the nausea had nothing to do with possibly being pregnant…

…

Edgar practically skipped all the way down the dock holding Crystal's hand. She nearly had to run to keep up with her overly excited boyfriend as he climbed onto the Northwestern and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"CRYSTAL'S PREGNANT!"

The whole crew froze then erupted in cheers as they congratulated the happy couple. Everyone seemed thrilled at the news…except for Sig Hansen. He was standing out on the deck, monitoring his crew as they loaded up the pots for Opillio season when Edgar and Crystal had climbed on board. His eyes grew round with shock as he looked over at Crystal. They made eye-contact, each silently asking the other the same question…sure she was pregnant, but who was the dad?

"Dude you're gonna be a dad?" said Jake with a smirk on his face, "That poor, traumatized kid!"

Edgar pretended to attack his best friend and Jake took off down the deck of the Northwestern, laughing and screaming as he tried to evade Edgar's reach.

"So…are you still gonna fish with us?" asked Norman, looking concerned.

"Yeah," said Crystal, clearing her throat and forcing a smile, "I just can't be out on deck when the weather gets way out of hand…I'll just try and take it a little easier, but it shouldn't be a problem."

"Crystal," said Sig, his voice hard and stressed, "Meet me in the wheelhouse when you can…please."

Crystal swallowed hard and nodded as she glanced away, not looking forward to being alone with Sig after the announcement.

"Well you better get up there," muttered Norman, rolling his eyes, "Sig's probably gonna lecture you on what you can and cannot do during the season."

Crystal smirked as she followed Sig up to the wheelhouse…oh how she wished that was all he was going to say…

…

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	12. Truth Comes Out a Little at a Time

Crystal walked up to the wheelhouse, her heart hammering in her chest as she walked into the room. She made a bee-line for the co-captain's chair and sat down, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them as she waited for Sig to say something…anything. The silence seemed to stretch on and on before Sig finally broke it.

"Pregnant?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Crystal stiffened slightly and nodded, "Yeah…I'm pregnant."

"Who…do you know who's…?"

Crystal shook her head as she felt the tears beginning to fill her eyes, "No…I don't know who the father is."

Sig cursed and shook his head in disbelief. Suddenly, for the first time, he felt a pang of regret for his actions. If he had been able to control his hormones…if he had been able to stay away from Crystal…if he had been able to leave her and Edgar alone…then they would know for sure that this was Edgar's baby. But now, because of his screw up, they had no idea who was the rightful father.

"So…what are you going to do?" asked Sig, sounding defeated.

Crystal swallowed nervously before she answered, "I…I did some research last night. Didn't really sleep at all. After Edgar fell asleep I grabbed my laptop and looked up some websites. They can insert a needle and get DNA from the baby…then compare it with DNA from you and Edgar…and then tell from there who the dad is. It's all high-tech, state of the art stuff."

"And how are you gonna get the DNA from me and Edgar?" asked Sig, sounding doubtful, "I mean, me it's no big deal, but how are you gonna get DNA from Edgar without him being suspicious?"

"I looked that up too," said Crystal quietly, feeling a rush of guilt for doing all this behind Edgar's back, "All I need is a few strands of hair. I already got that off his pillow this morning. So all I need you to do is get me some of your hair and I'll set that aside till we get back from Opillio fishing."

Sig shook his head in bewilderment, "This whole thing is effed up," he muttered as he looked out the window.

Crystal sighed and closed her eyes, "Yeah…yeah it is."

"So…what do we do if we find out the kid's mine?" asked Sig quietly.

Crystal felt sick again as she contemplated that, "I…I don't know."

"Are you going to tell Edgar?" asked Sig, his blue eyes flashing briefly with fear. He could only imagine his little brother's reaction to finding out that his girlfriend had slept around with his older brother before and after they were in a relationship.

"I…I haven't thought that far ahead yet," muttered Crystal, "I think…I think I should tell him at some point. I mean…before our relationship takes the next step."

Sig looked up sharply at that, "What do you mean?"

Crystal looked Sig in the eyes, "I mean…I think Edgar and I are going to get married. We're having a baby after all and we love each other. It's kinda what you do in this situation."

Sig gritted his teeth and looked visibly upset at Crystal's response, "I guess."

"Well what else do you want me to do Sig?" snapped Crystal, losing patience with him, "You're married…it's not like you and I would have ever worked out. And besides…I've fallen in love with your little brother. This is the way things should have been. I should have never had sex with you…not that I regret it entirely…I just…I shouldn't have. I should have thought it through better."

Sig nodded, "Yeah…yeah I should have too. I didn't think things would have gotten this…messed up."

Crystal nodded, "Yeah…well this is the current situation and I just have to deal with it. I'm gonna go check on the guys downstairs. I'll…I'll see you later."

Sig just sighed as he watched Crystal leave the wheelhouse. In another lifetime he would have stopped her, kissed her passionately and told her he loved her…begged her not to be with Edgar…begged her to be with him instead. But he had a wife and kids and he needed to get his mind back on them. Crystal was a fling for him and it needed to come to an end as soon as possible…for all of them.

…

Little did Crystal and Sig know that Jake Anderson had been walking up toward the wheelhouse to ask Sig how much bait they should put on board when he overheard their conversation. He froze on the stairs to the wheelhouse as he absorbed the information he just heard. Sig Hansen had slept with Crystal…repeatedly and recently from what he could tell…and Crystal didn't know if the baby was Sig's or Edgars. All of this made Jake's head spin with disbelief. How could she have done this to his best friend? Jake heard Crystal say she was going back to the galley and he took off down the stairs. The last thing he wanted was for Crystal and Sig to know that he knew their dark secret…

…

"Hey can everybody come to the galley real quick?" asked Edgar about an hour before the crew was supposed to leave the dock.

The crew gathered into the galley, followed by a very nervous-looking Sig Hansen. They all gave him questioning looks as they waited for Edgar to continue.

"I just wanted to do something real quick before we headed out," said Edgar with a big grin on his face, "As you all know, Crystal and I are having a baby."

Crystal forced a smile as the rest of the crew congratulated them again. Jake Anderson shifted anxiously on his feet. If only they all knew the truth behind the pregnancy and the dark secret between Crystal and their captain. Sig forced a smile as well as he glanced around at his crew.

"So," continued Edgar as he reached out for Crystal's hand, "I just wanted to ask you a question before we leave. Since we're having a baby and I've fallen hopelessly in love with you…I was wondering…"

Edgar got down on one knee and pulled out a small box from his pocket. Norman and Matt cheered as they predicted what was coming next. Jake Anderson gritted his teeth as he glanced over at Sig. The captain looked like someone had just punched him in the gut.

"…if you would do me the incredible honor of being my wife?" finished Edgar.

Crystal felt torn between a rush of excitement and happiness and an underlying feeling of unease and uncertainty. Would he really want to marry her if he knew the truth?

"Yes…yes I would love to be your wife!" she said, forcing herself to put aside her doubts for a few moments.

Edgar slipped a beautiful ring onto her finger and stood up, taking Crystal into his arms as he kissed her passionately, much to Norman and Matt's amusement. Jake forced himself to act like he was ecstatic but deep down he felt incredibly guilty. His best friend was about to marry someone who had cheated on him…with his older brother. It was a terrible secret that could easily destroy all the relationships on this boat in a matter of seconds once it was known. In that moment Jake was torn between loyalty toward his best friend and his desperation to keep the crew intact. He thought about his options as he watched Edgar and Crystal celebrate their engagement with the rest of the crew. In that moment he knew he had to tell Edgar. How could he not? He couldn't let his best friend marry this girl under false pretenses. Edgar had a right to know the truth…and Jake would see to it that he learned the truth as soon as possible…

…

Please Review!

**This might be my last update till next week. I'm going out of town for a bit and won't be able to write. I may have time for one update tomorrow but other than that I'm out until next week. Thanks so much to everyone who is reading and reviewing this story! Glad everyone seems to like it so far!**


	13. Unfaithful

Crystal glanced over at Jake Anderson for what seemed like the millionth time that day. They had been prepping and setting pots all day and the young deckhand seemed incredibly anxious and fidgety. He barely said a word to anyone as he worked. Crystal frowned at him, wondering what had gotten under his skin. She, meanwhile, was trying her best to stay as calm and happy as possible. Edgar seemed to be the happiest person on the whole boat. He kissed Crystal on the cheek nearly every time they passed each other. His grin went from one ear to the other as he talked excitedly with Norman about being engaged, having a kid on the way and the prospects they had for the future. Norman entertained his overly happy younger brother, smiling in amusement as he listened.

Crystal felt sick to her stomach again…partially from the pregnancy and partially from the realization that in just a couple weeks they would be heading back for the first offload and she would be heading to the specialist in town to get her DNA tests done to determine who the father of her baby was. It was nerve wracking to say the least.

"Hey, Ed," said Jake quietly as they finished setting the last pot, "Can I talk to you…alone?"

Edgar gave Jake a concerned look, "Yeah sure, kid…I was wondering what your deal was. You look freaking miserable."

Jake nodded as he cast an anxious glance over at Crystal. He felt terrible…he knew what he was about to do. He was about to destroy several relationships in one fatal blow. But at the same time he knew deep down that he could not allow for his best friend to get married and to believe that this baby was his after what Crystal had done…with Sig. Jake's hands were shaking as he and Edgar headed back inside the boat and ducked into Edgar's stateroom and closed the door.

"What are those two doing?" asked Matt as he, Norman and Crystal changed in the ready room.

"I heard Jake ask Edgar if he could talk to him," said Norman, frowning in concern, "The kid's been acting strange today. I don't know why…but yeah he's talking to Edgar about it now I'm guessing."

Crystal frowned at that, "That's weird. I wonder what they're talking about…"

…

Jake fidgeted nervously as he paced back and forth in the small stateroom. Edgar was sitting on the edge of Crystal's bunk bed, watching Jake pace with a frown on his face.

"Jake, spill it already," said Edgar, getting frustrated and impatient, "What's going on?"

"I…I have something to tell you and you're not gonna like it," said Jake as he glanced nervously over at Edgar, "It…it has to do with Crystal…and the baby…and you guys getting married…"

Edgar's brow furrowed at that, "Okay…what? What is it?"

Jake hesitated before he replied, "Well…I was going up to the wheelhouse yesterday to ask Sig about the bait and I overheard him talking to Crystal. They…they were talking about her being pregnant. They…they were talking about her having to get a paternity test…because she's not sure who the dad is."

Edgar froze at that, his face going pale with shock, "What? What…no, you must have heard wrong. She and I've been together every night since King Crab season. There's no way…she couldn't have…she wouldn't have."

"Edgar," interrupted Jake, hands trembling as he forced himself to say the last part, "They…Crystal and Sig…have slept together…a lot too from what I can tell. They were together before she fell in love with you and it sounds like they got together while you two were dating too."

Edgar felt his world begin to spin out of control as he tried to absorb the unbelievable news, "Jake there's no goddamn way any of that's true. There's no way! She wouldn't do that! She loves me! We're getting married! Sig's married! He has kids!"

Jake nodded, "I know, Edgar, I know…I know this is bad. I know it's hard to believe but I swear to you that's what I heard. I didn't want to tell you because I knew what it would do to you and Crystal and Sig but…but I couldn't let you marry her and not know if she's actually having your baby or Sig's."

Edgar felt like he was going to pass out. Crystal slept with Sig…his older brother…and she was pregnant…but with whose kid?

"Thanks Jake," said Edgar quietly after a long moment.

"I'm sorry," said Jake, feeling emotion well up in his eyes, "I…I'm so sorry."

"Not your fault," muttered Edgar numbly, "You didn't do anything wrong. Thank you for telling me the truth. Apparently other people aren't capable of doing the same."

"Edgar," said Jake, "I…I think you should talk to both of them. I mean…Crystal told Sig she loves you, not him. She told him it wouldn't ever work between them and that it was a mistake. She doesn't want him, she wants you. I know this sucks and it's pretty much the worst thing anyone could do, but you do love her don't you?"

Edgar hesitated, "Yeah…I loved who I thought Crystal was. I don't know who this Crystal is at all."

Jake frowned at that, "Just…I don't know…I can't tell you what to do. I just don't want to see everything fall apart like this."

"I think they both asked for it," muttered Edgar, "They both asked for all of this. What happens now is their fault…"

…

Edgar emerged from the stateroom several minutes after Jake left and walked into the galley. Crystal was sitting in the galley with Norman and Matt, having a cup of coffee when he walked in.

"Hey," she said as he walked in, "You okay?"

If looks could kill the look Edgar gave Crystal would have struck her dead on the spot. Crystal visibly flinched at the harsh, accusing look in her fiancé's eyes.

"Dandy," snapped Edgar as he hurriedly grabbed for a new pack of cigarettes and a lighter, "My fiancé had an affair with my older brother and doesn't know who the father of the baby is. My life is fucking great!"

Edgar stormed out of the galley, torn between wanting to break down and cry and beat the shit out of someone. Crystal sat at the galley table, her face white with horror as she realized that Edgar had learned the truth. How she had no idea…but he knew. He knew everything. She felt sick…again.

"What the hell?" breathed Norman, his eyes wide with shock.

Matt looked like someone had just punched him in the stomach, "Are you…are you serious? No, tell me that's a lie, Crystal…tell me that's not right."

Crystal felt the tears begin to pour down her face just as Sig walked into the galley. Sig froze when he saw Crystal sobbing and noted the horrified looks on Norman and Matt's faces.

"What the hell…?"

"He knows," choked out Crystal as she looked up at Sig, "Edgar knows everything…he knows…about us…about the baby…"

Sig's mug shattered as it hit the floor. His jaw tightened with tension as he glanced around the room. Norman was giving him a disbelieving and disappointed stare while Matt just stared down at the table in shock. Jake walked into the room and saw the looks on everyone's faces and saw Crystal sobbing. He felt tears spring into his own eyes when he saw the consequences of what he had done.

"I'm sorry…I…I heard you guys talking in the wheelhouse yesterday and I told Edgar what I heard," said Jake quickly, his voice high with tension and guilt, "I'm sorry…"

Crystal shook her head, "It's not your fault…you didn't do anything wrong. This…this is all my fault. I'm so sorry…so sorry."

"What happens now?" asked Matt quietly, "I mean…to all of us? Is Edgar gonna leave the second we hit the dock?"

"No," snapped Crystal, "I'm gonna leave. When we get back to the dock I'll leave…I'm the cause of all this shit, I'll leave and take the drama with me. I have to go to the doctor anyway…for the paternity test."

Sig winced at that while the rest of the crew looked like they were going to be sick. This was just too much to take in all at once. How the hell had everything hit the fan so fast? Just a few minutes ago they'd all been joking around on the deck while they were setting pots and now…now everything was a disaster. It was all falling apart and there wasn't much they could do to stop it now. In that moment they all knew that nothing would ever be the same again. Everything had changed…and there was no turning back…

_And I know that he knows I'm unfaithful_

_And it kills him inside_

_To know that I am happy with some other guy_

_I can see him dying_

_I don't wanna do this anymore_

_I don't wanna be the reason why_

_Every time I walk out the door_

_I see him die a little more inside_

_I don't wanna hurt him anymore_

_I don't wanna take away his life_

_I don't wanna be... a murderer_

…

Please Review!

This is my last update until I get back from my trip…so most likely it'll be Monday afternoon/evening! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!


	14. Results

**Okay I lied…I had some extra time to update today before I head out on my trip : ) Enjoy! Hope this makes up for my three to four day absence from writing!**

The next two weeks crawled by at an agonizingly slow pace for Crystal and the crew of the Northwestern. Communication was at an all-time-low as they mechanically set and hauled pots. Edgar hadn't spoken a word to Crystal since Jake had told him about her and Sig's affair. He hadn't even made eye-contact with his fiancé as they worked around each other in tense silence. Jake felt and looked miserable as he glanced around the crew, noting their sullen and confused faces. Everyone had been absolutely shell-shocked by what they had found out. What was worse was the fact that the next day they would be pulling into the docks for their first offload…and Crystal would be getting off the boat for the last time. The crew would have to work extra hard to make up for her absence despite the fact that it would make things on deck a little less tense having her and Edgar separated from one another. It was really a lose-lose situation for everyone involved.

That evening, while the crew cleaned up the dishes from their last dinner before they hit the dock, Crystal slipped inside the stateroom she shared with Edgar and closed the door behind her. She bit her lower lip, trying to stifle the sobs that crept up her throat as she slipped the ring off of her finger and laid it on Edgar's pillow on the top bunk. She couldn't expect him to marry her after this…she knew things were over between them and she wanted to make it less awkward for both of them. She wiped the tears from her face and slipped back out of the room and made a bee-line for the wheelhouse.

Sig was staring off into space, contemplating the turn of events that had destroyed his entire crew the past couple of weeks. He wasn't looking forward to going home…he knew he'd have to face his wife and his two daughters…and he wasn't sure how they were going to react. Would June leave him? Maybe if he begged, pleaded…told her it was a stupid mid-life crisis moment…that he was an idiot and that he loved her and didn't want her to go…maybe she' d stay then. He jumped slightly when he saw Crystal slide into the wheelhouse and make her way over to the co-captain's chair on the other side of the room. She sat down and drew her knees up, curling up into a ball and stared out at the surprisingly-calm Bering Sea.

Sig frowned as he studied her. She looked like a dead woman walking. There were dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes from lack of sleep and her face was pale and slightly drawn in. He knew she hadn't been sleeping…or eating well at all since everything hit the fan. It made him nervous.

"You should eat something," he said quietly after a moment, "For the baby."

Crystal sighed wearily, "I ate a little…it's hard to keep things on my stomach now. Between being on a rolling crab boat and knowing that your entire life has just been shattered, I guess I've lost my appetite."

Sig frowned as guilt gnawed relentlessly at his belly, "I'm sorry Crystal…I'm so sorry. I'm so stupid…this is all my fault. I shouldn't have come on to you like that. I shouldn't have even let you up here with me alone all those times. I should have left you alone and forgotten anything happened when you and Edgar got together."

"It takes two, Sig," muttered Crystal miserably, "I should have known better than to get involved with a married man. We both screwed up and now we both have to accept the consequences of our actions."

Sig hesitated for a moment before he replied, "Do…do you think Edgar will still marry you?"

Crystal shook her head, "No…I put the ring on his pillow a few minutes ago. I don't expect him to marry someone like me. I wouldn't want him to feel like he has to. He deserves better."

Sig frowned as he watched Crystal wipe a tear from her cheek, "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Crystal glanced over at him, "What about you? Do you think you and June will make it?"

Sig gritted his teeth at that, his ice-blue eyes flashing with a mixture of fear, dread and uncertainty, "I have no idea, Crystal…no idea. Once she finds out she'll have every reason to hate me…to leave me. So I don't blame her if she does. I just pray…that she doesn't."

Crystal sighed, closing her eyes for a moment, "I hope it works out. I…I guess me talking to her later on probably wouldn't help would it? Like…explain to her that it was a mistake and apologize?"

Sig frowned again, "I don't know…let's just see how things play out. I'll give you a call after the season's over…after I tell June…and let you know."

Crystal nodded, glancing away as she felt another wave of guilt slam into her. She could have easily just destroyed a marriage by her stupidity. Not only was her own life a disaster now, but Sig's would probably be too. Crystal closed her eyes and found herself drifting away into a deep sleep for the first time in two weeks. She would need whatever rest she could get before tomorrow…tomorrow they would arrive at port…and she would be going in to take the paternity test…

…

Later that night, Edgar walked into the stateroom and was surprised to see that Crystal wasn't already in there. He frowned at her empty bunk bed as he climbed up into his. He froze though when he saw what was laying on his pillow…the ring he had given to Crystal. He felt his throat constrict with emotion as he picked it up and hurriedly stuffed it in the pocket of his sweatpants. He didn't want to look at it…or think about it at all. Hell he didn't even want to think about Crystal anymore. He just wanted this whole chapter of his life to be over with...like it never happened…

…

Crystal helped the Northwestern unload the crab the next morning before slipping away. She left discreetly, so discreetly in fact that no one knew she had left until a couple hours afterwards. She didn't want any awkward goodbyes and didn't want to make anyone feel obligated to say goodbye to her. She knew they were all angry and disappointed in her and her actions so she knew that this was the best way to say goodbye…just disappearing.

She sat in the doctor's office, waiting for the doctor to come back in and give her the results. He had seen her right away and taken the samples they obtained from the fetus inside her and the hairs from Sig and Edgar. He told Crystal that the results could take several hours but Crystal had nowhere else to be…nowhere else to go for that matter so she was willing to wait.

Three hours later, the doctor walked into the waiting room and waved her in. Crystal practically leapt off of the chair and ran after the doctor, eager to hear the news. He led her back to the room where they'd gathered the samples earlier and had her sit down.

"Okay, Crystal we have your results," said the doctor as he opened up the file.

Crystal waited anxiously, her stomach rolling with nausea and anticipation, "And…?"

"And when we compared the baby's DNA to the first hair sample you gave us from a Mr. Sig Hansen, we received a negative, but when we compared the baby's DNA to the sample from Mr. Edgar Hansen, we received a positive. Mr. Edgar Hansen is the father of your baby."

Crystal started sobbing with relief immediately. She thanked the doctor through her tears as she tried to regain her composure. Even though she knew that she and Edgar would probably never be together again it was so much easier knowing that the baby was his. It let Sig off the hook and would probably help considerably when he confessed his sins to his wife and it made her feel so much better. Now all that was left was to tell the Hansens and the rest of the Northwestern crew. They had already headed back out to sea to continue with the Opillio season so Crystal would have to wait until they returned. She could call in but she wanted to wait and tell Edgar to his face…he deserved that at least.

With a grateful smile, Crystal shook the doctor's hand and thanked him again before she left the office. She headed back to the apartment she had shared with Edgar to pack up her things and move into another apartment temporarily while she waited for the Northwestern to get back. About four more weeks and she would be able to tell Edgar that she was having his baby. That gave her four weeks to figure out how to tell him…and four weeks to stress about how he would react to the news and to seeing her again…

…

Please Review!

I'll update again when I get back from my trip! So Monday or Tuesday next week : )


	15. Breaking the News

The next four weeks had gone by at an agonizingly slow pace as Crystal waited for the Northwestern to return to Seattle, Washington. She watched the weather reports daily, praying for good weather and safe travel for her old crew…and her ex-fiancé. Despite the fact that she and Edgar were no longer together, she still loved and worried about him to no end. He was the father of the child she was carrying inside her…and he was the man she had fallen in love with.

Today was the day the Northwestern was to return to her home port of Seattle, Washington. Crystal was feeling a myriad of emotions as she stood on the dock with the rest of the family members, huddling together for warmth in the chilly, winter air. June and her two daughters were there, happy as could be about Sig's return. Crystal felt an icy cold stab of guilt in her stomach as she thought about what was about to happen. It was only a matter of time now before Sig was forced to confess what he had done while he was away from his wife. Crystal prayed she was far, far away when that went down.

As the vague form of the Northwestern emerged from the early morning fog, the crowd cheered with excitement and waved as they watched her pull up to the dock. Crystal glanced up and down the side of the boat, her eyes searching for one man and one man only. The second she made eye-contact with Edgar she felt the breath whoosh out of her lungs. Relief, hurt, guilt and regret all slammed into her like a rogue wave as she started at him.

Edgar felt his heart skip a beat when he saw her standing there on the dock. She wasn't supposed to be there…she was supposed to be long gone by now. He figured when she had left the Northwestern that she would be gone for good. Part of him felt relief at that and the other part felt terrible. He had no idea whose baby she was carrying and part of him wanted to know…wanted desperately to know…if he was the father.

Jake Anderson and Norman Hansen had already climbed off the boat and were talking excitedly with their families. Edgar stayed on the boat, not sure what to do. He glanced back over at Crystal and saw that she had already begun to climb up on the boat herself. He swallowed nervously as she approached him. Her hands were trembling and she looked like she was about to cry at any moment. He held his breath, waiting for her to say something.

"You're…you're the dad," she said quietly. She hesitated, waiting to see his reaction.

Edgar let out a sigh of relief. He blinked a few times and cleared his throat, unsure of what to say in response.

"I just thought you should know," continued Crystal after a moment, "You had a right to know. And…I'm sorry again for all the trouble I've caused. I'm leaving…and you won't have to see me again. I won't even ask for child support…its fine."

Edgar felt his heart clench with emotion when he saw the pain and loss on Crystal's face. She was going to go back to the Grand Banks and raise this kid by herself…his kid. Despite all that she had done to hurt him and his crew…he felt a sudden need to hold her in his arms.

Crystal's eyes widened in surprise when she felt Edgar's arms wrap around her. She collapsed into tears at that point, letting Edgar's strong arms hold her up. Edgar let her cry for a few moments before he spoke.

"I…I don't want to never see you again," he said, his voice low and rough with emotion, "But I don't know how to make this…better."

Crystal pulled away and looked up at him, "I don't either…I don't know what the right thing to do is."

Edgar sighed, "I hate to even say this…but we need to talk to Sig real quick. I think it might be best if we keep what happened here just between us and the crew." Edgar said, nodding towards Sig's family.

Crystal nodded in understanding, "Yeah…yeah I agree. Let's go talk to Sig."

…

Sig was just about to leave the wheelhouse to greet his family…and tell June what he had done…when Edgar and Crystal walked in. He jumped a little in surprise and glanced back and forth between them, his eyes wary and nervous.

"What's going on?" he asked hesitantly, not sure he wanted to know the answer to that question.

"She's having my baby," said Edgar, his brown eyes hard and full of bitterness as he glared at his older brother, "And we figured it would be best for everyone if this little…incident…stayed between us. It's best that your family stays out of the loop on this one, if you want to keep them that is."

Sig noted the harsh tone of Edgar's voice and winced a little as he realized the damage that this had done to his and Edgar's relationship, "Um, yeah I agree…and yes of course I want to keep them. I'm glad to hear you're the dad Edgar. You guys will make great parents."

Crystal flinched a little at that and Sig noticed her reaction.

"Oh…you two aren't back together?" he asked nervously.

"Not now no," said Edgar quietly, "We'll see what happens."

Crystal stared at the floor, not wanting to look either of them in the eyes for the time being.

"Okay," said Sig carefully, "Well I hope it works out for both of you. I really do."

"Thanks," said Crystal with a forced smile.

Edgar just grunted as he turned to leave, "I'm going to dry land for awhile. I need to hit the bar."

Crystal just sighed as she followed behind him, "Yeah…I better go too."

Sig watched them leave the boat and go their separate ways once they hit the dock. He sighed, praying silently that they would work things out. Despite all the trouble and stress they had been through because of the little "love triangle" Sig knew deep down that his place was with June and Edgar's place was with Crystal…even if Edgar didn't realize it yet. Once Edgar got over the anger and the confusion he knew he'd go back to her. It just had to be a matter of time…he hoped…

…

Please Review!


	16. For the First Time

**Wrote another chapter to make up for my absence : ) Enjoy!**

**Note: the song and title of this chapter is "For the First Time" by the Script**

Edgar made a bee-line for the local tavern downtown later that night. He needed a good, long drink and some loud music to make him forget and relax for awhile. The fact that the baby was his thrilled him but scared him shitless too. He needed to be alone for awhile, get a little tipsy and enjoy himself before he made any hard decisions. As soon as he walked into the bar he heard the pulsating music and saw people swaying to the beat on the floor. He sighed in relief as he ordered his first beer of night and sat back to watch people dance…

…

_She's all laid up in bed with a broken heart,__  
><em>_While I'm drinking jack all alone in my local bar,__  
><em>_And we don't know how,__  
><em>_How we got in to this mad situation,__  
><em>_Only doing things out of frustration__  
><em>_Trying to make it work but man these times are hard_

Meanwhile, back at her apartment, Crystal was curled up on her bed crying herself to sleep. She knew Edgar too well…she knew the kind of guy he was before they met so she could only imagine what he was doing right now. While she laid here crying over the loss of their relationship and the trust they had established, he was out drinking and partying. She knew she shouldn't be mad at him. This wasn't his fault after all…she had asked for all of this when she got together with Sig all those times…but she so badly wanted Edgar back that it literally hurt and the very thought of him being with someone else killed her inside. What hurt worse was that she knew in that moment that this must have been what it felt like for Edgar when he learned that his fiancé had been sleeping with his older brother. Crystal hated herself in that moment and desperately wished she could go back in time…back to when things were so much easier…before she got pregnant…before she and Sig had ever slept together…

…

Edgar was feeling more and more relaxed after each and every drink. He saw a couple cute blondes staring at him and gave them a wink. It felt good to flirt and to be appreciated again. It also felt good to flirt with girls who hadn't screwed him over or cheated on him. As the young blondes approached Edgar smiled at them and bought them drinks.

"So sexy," said the one young blonde girl with really long hair and crystal blue eyes, "Wanna dance?"

Edgar growled at her seductive voice and nodded as he let her lead him to the dance floor. As they started to grind against each other the young woman looked up and gazed into Edgar's brown eyes. Edgar froze suddenly. The young woman's eyes had an uncanny resemblance to Crystal's beautiful blue eyes…and combined with the long blonde hair the woman looked just too much like Crystal for Edgar to handle. He suddenly felt a wave of panic as he realized what he was doing…and what he wanted. What he wanted was Crystal…to be back in her arms and to be back with her before things got out of hand. Although he knew things may never be the same he knew now that there was nothing else and no one else he wanted but her. He pushed the confused looking blonde away and made a bee-line for the door. He had to talk to Crystal…

…

_And we don't know how,__  
><em>_How we got into this mess__  
><em>_Is it a God's test?__  
><em>_Someone help us 'cause we're doing our best,__  
><em>_Trying to make it work but man these times are hard…_

Crystal was still crying softly into her pillow when she heard someone beat frantically on her apartment door. She frowned slightly as she wiped the tears from her face and tried to smooth out her nightgown a little before she answered the door.

The second the door opened, Edgar rushed into the room and began talking a mile a minute.

"Crystal, I'm sorry I made a mistake, I went to the bar and there was this girl and we started dancing but then she reminded me of you and I couldn't, I just couldn't so I came here and I don't know what the hell I'm doing or what the hell we're gonna do but all I know is I can't fucking stand the thought of being with anyone but you and I know that this is crazy and that we're both still screwed up from…"

"Edgar!" shouted Crystal finally, forcing Edgar to stop his rant.

Edgar took a deep, shaky breath and looked at Crystal, surprised to see the beginnings of a smile play across her features.

"Thank you," she said quietly, "I don't deserve you and I know it's going to take time…but if you're willing…I want to still be with you too."

Edgar nodded, "Yeah…yeah that's what I want," he said, still gasping for air from his rant, "I don't know what else I want or what this is gonna mean in the future but right now all I want is you."

Crystal nodded as she moved closer to Edgar and he bent down and kissed her passionately. They slowly stumbled toward Crystal's bedroom and closed the door while Edgar fumbled with her clothes, clearly frustrated by how long it was taking for him to get her undressed. Crystal couldn't help but laugh at his frenzied attempt. Once Edgar was finally able to pull off all of Crystal's clothes, he froze and gazed at her stomach in astonishment.

"Three months," she said with a smile, "I'm starting to show a little."

Edgar's eyes grew round and soft with wonder as he rubbed his hand over her stomach…over their baby.

Crystal smiled at his reaction as she pulled his hand away, drawing his attention back to her face as she kissed him.

Edgar didn't say a word. He kissed her back and then climbed on top of her, showing her with his actions rather than his words just how pleased he was about her carrying his child…

_But we're gonna start by__  
><em>_Drinking old cheap bottles of wine,__  
><em>_Sit talking up all night,__  
><em>_Saying things we haven't for a while__  
><em>_A while yeah__  
><em>_We're smiling but we're close tears,__  
><em>_Even after all these years,__  
><em>_We just now got the feeling that we're meeting for the first time…_

…

Please Review!


	17. Just a Kiss

**Hey guys! Looks like this will be the last chapter for this story. But no worries, I'm working on a new Deadliest Catch one centered on Jake and Josh Harris. Keep an eye out for it! : ) I may post the fully summary on fanfiction soon. **

_Epilogue_

_1 year later…_

Edgar Hansen paced impatiently along the deck of the Northwestern. The crew was returning to their home port of Seattle from another season of Opillio fishing up in the Bering Sea. For Edgar the boat couldn't move fast enough. He growled in frustration as he tried to peer through the fog that covered the docks up ahead.

"Someone's antsy," said Jake Anderson with a knowing smirk on his face.

Edgar glared playfully at his best friend and ruffled his hair, "Shut up, junior."

Jake laughed as he ducked away from Edgar's hand. He glanced at his friend with a satisfied smile on his face, "You really do love her don't you?"

Edgar smiled at that, his eyes glazing over a little as he thought about what had happened over the last several months. Since that night he had gone to Crystal's apartment things had changed. The next several months involved him learning to forgive Crystal for what she had done and moving on with their lives. For Crystal it was a time of redemption and humility. She had learned to finally forgive herself as well for what she had done. Together the two had managed to put aside their actions in the past. Crystal had given birth to a beautiful baby girl whom Edgar had fallen in love with the moment he held her in his arms. They named her Aesa and she had her mother's blonde hair and her father's deep, warm brown eyes. Now that they had had a baby together and were able to forgive one another, Edgar knew now was the time to take the next step in their relationship…

_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight__  
><em>_Just a touch of the fire burning so bright__  
><em>_And I don't want to mess this thing up__  
><em>_I don't want to push too far__  
><em>_Just a shot in the dark that you just might__  
><em>_Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life__  
><em>_So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight_

…

Sig Hansen sighed with relief when he saw the docks up ahead. It was always such a relief to see land after months away at sea. He could barely make out the figures of his wife, June and their two daughters as they waved to him from the dock. He smiled broadly and thought about how lucky he was to have them in his life. He also thought about how lucky he was to have been able to keep his little affair with Crystal a secret from them. He didn't like keeping things from June but he knew that this was one thing that he had to keep to himself. He couldn't risk losing her…he didn't think he'd be able to go on if he did. Everything had worked out just as it was meant to be. Sig smiled to himself as he thought about what Edgar was getting ready to do. That would be the final piece of the puzzle being put into place…soon everything would be as it should…

…

_I know that if we give this a little time__  
><em>_It'll only bring us closer to the love we wanna find__  
><em>_It's never felt so real, no it's never felt so right_

Crystal laughed as Edgar leapt off the boat before it even stopped moving and landed on the dock. He rushed over to her and squeezed her tight, kissing her passionately before he bent down to check on their baby girl sitting in the stroller. The rest of the families laughed at Edgar's enthusiasm as they waited for the Northwestern to finish docking.

"It's so good to see you again," said Crystal quietly, her blue eyes brimming with tears, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too baby," said Edgar as he gazed longingly into her eyes, "And…I have something I've been meaning to ask you for awhile now, but I wanted to make sure…that things were okay."

Crystal gave him a confused look, "Oh? Okay, what is it?"

Edgar took a deep breath before he knelt down on one knee and pulled out the same ring she had given back to him over a year ago. Crystal gasped and felt the tears begin to spill down her face as she realized that Edgar was giving her a second chance. The rest of the crowd on the dock gasped in astonishment. The families had all been told that Crystal and Edgar had broken up over something serious between the two of them but they were never told exactly why they had split up. Now they were witnessing the two young lovers reunite once again.

"Crystal, after all we've been through, there's no one else in the world I want to spend the rest of my life with but you," said Edgar, his voice ragged with emotion, "I know it won't be easy, but I know that regardless of what happens I want you to be there with me through it all. You're the mother of my baby girl and I want to be the dad she deserves…the husband that you deserve…please, do me the honor of being my wife?"

Crystal could barely speak through her sobs as she nodded, "Yes, yes!"

Edgar jumped up and wrapped her in his arms. After they embraced for a long moment he slid the ring onto her finger and stepped back to admire it on her.

"And baby, this time? Don't take it off."

Crystal laughed at that as she hugged her fiancé. No this time she wouldn't be taking the ring off…not for the rest of her life…

_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight__  
><em>_Just a touch of the fire burning so bright__  
><em>_And I don't want to mess this thing up__  
><em>_I don't want to push too far__  
><em>_Just a shot in the dark that you just might__  
><em>_Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life__  
><em>_So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight_

…

Please Review!

And keep an eye out for my new story! I'll post a summary here soon : )


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